


Sub Frenzy

by Shira_Taka



Category: Naruto
Genre: Aftercare, BDSM, Bad BDSM Experiences, Bondage, Branding, Childhood Trauma, Crossdressing, Fluff and Angst, Impact Play, M/M, Pony Play, Shibari, Slow Burn, Whips, enemies to BDSM play partners to friends to lovers, play piercing, snippyness about Gor, throwing shade at 50 shades
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 76,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26899834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shira_Taka/pseuds/Shira_Taka
Summary: The first time Sasuke Uchiha, MD meets 22-year-old Naruto Uzumaki, he is in Sasuke's care after a BDSM session goes horribly wrong.  The 33-year-old ER doctor treats his wounds, signs off on a psych eval, and then washes his hands of the clearly troubled (and troublesome) young man.  As months go by, though, Uzumaki contines to appear in unexpected contexts in Sasuke's life, and he's forced to make a decision that will profoundly affect both of them.
Relationships: Uchiha Sasuke/Uzumaki Naruto
Comments: 542
Kudos: 241





	1. Fifty Shades of Get Off My Lawn

**Author's Note:**

> Sex and BDSM are adjacent to each other, and most frequently we expect them to be intimately linked. However, this is not always the case. There are people who play with others strictly because they share a similar kink, not because they want to sex each other up.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blond-haired boy doesn't make the best impression on the taciturn ER doctor the first time they meet. Dr. Sasuke Uchiha tries to forget the unstable young man with horrible burns as he goes on with his life; when he shows up at Sasuke's club, though, he finds himself disturbed and concerned, and this time, he cannot look away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of my readers requested a BDSM story. I will not name that reader here, in case they are uncomfortable with my portrayal of the BDSM lifestyle, but you know who you are, you inspired a monster. ;) And, I hope you *do* like it. 
> 
> A few things: I do not hesitate to shit on 50 Shades. It's worthwhile to remember that fiction is not reality, including really popular fiction. Including really horrible fiction.  
> HOWEVER...  
> That series was effectively the introduction of many members of the public to BDSM. In a society where discussion of sex is rarely honest and helpful, this has meant that many came to see it as the beginning and end of BDSM and power exchanges in relationships, and there aren't always places to discuss all that is wrong with how BDSM is portrayed in those novels. This is a story far more about relationships than it is about kink. It's about openness and honesty and what can go wrong when those things don't exist. Turn around now and do not comment if you have an issue with this. 
> 
> It won't get excessively dark. In fact, it's mostly fluffy, though there will be some descriptions of bondage and masochism. A few things to clarify before I begin: a sub/Dom relationship does not necessarily include sex. It is about trust and an exchange of power, and mutual responsibility. That doesn't mean that BDSM relationships are not sexual at all, or that they don't gratify one or both parties sexually. It just means that the agreement is *not necessarily* a romantic or sexual one. 
> 
> If you like 50 Shades, I won't criticise you. We all like what we like. I want anyone to know, though, that these books don't portray healthy consent and respect of boundaries in a BDSM lifestyle. I also have strong opinions about Gorean lifestyle; so if those things are up your alley, great, I get it, we all like different things. But I *don't* like them, and I'm the one writing this fic, and I will be expressing my opinions about them.

Their first meeting was far from auspicious.

The other ER physicians and the nurses were complacent, but Sasuke had been on edge all night

“It’s going to be one of those nights,” Sakura said with a sigh. “A hundred different cases of UTI, common cold, and caffeine overdose—another episode of 'America Uses the ER for Primary Care'.”

Sasuke’s gut had been telling him all night that this would not be the case, though, and his gut was seldom wrong.

Surely enough, just before midnight, the floodgates opened.

Sasuke was exhausted, hungry, and coming down from an adrenaline rush when the boy staggered in. Sakura was busy with a scalding victim. Neji was dealing with a case of a-fib. So despite the fact that Sasuke’s 12-hour shift was drawing to a close, it fell to him to oversee the care of the strange, young man with the complicated burn on his shoulder.

“I’ve never seen the like,” the nurse told him, aghast. “Seriously. Take a look, Dr. Uchiha.”

Sasuke looked over the young man’s chart.

Uzumaki, Naruto. Age, 22. Complaint: burn on left shoulder, purulence, inflammation. Pt reports applying triple abx ointment and numbing spray. Pt will not say how he sustained the burn.

Sasuke grit his teeth but said nothing. Twenty-two. It would no doubt be something ridiculously stupid, probably accomplished with the aid of alcohol and/or drugs. When he walked into the room, the young man was anxiously squirming as he sat on the gurney. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

“Mr. Uzumaki. I hear you have a burn. Let’s see it,” Sasuke intoned.

The young man jumped to hear his name and attempted to smile. Sasuke noticed the tears in the corners of his eyes.

“Uh. Yeah, OK, sure, doc.” He turned around and presented his wound to Sasuke.

Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath. It had been a long, _long_ time since he had seen anything like this. 

The boy’s shoulder was not just _burned._ Sasuke could see the raised, weeping outline of a design—probably someone’s initials, Sasuke thought bitterly—and where the burn had gone through the subcutaneous layer in some spots. The entire thing wept copious amounts of blood, serous fluid, and pus.

“Level of pain, zero to ten,” Sasuke bit out.

“Uh, a solid six,” the kid grit out.

“Be serious,” Sasuke said sharply.

The kid sighed and his visage became dejected.

“Eleven and a half.”

“Where’s the knucklehead who did this to you?” Sasuke asked.

“Nah, it was an accident,” the boy insisted anxiously.

“It was anything _but_ an accident,” Sasuke spat. “I am going to treat you, but I know what this is, and I know it wasn’t something you did yourself accidentally. Coincidentally, you should know there's a difference between the skin of cattle and that of human beings.”

He walked out and shouted out an order for a pain injection and assistance for irrigation and debridement. Uzumaki looked terrified the entire time, but as Sasuke worked, he realized that he was not fearful of being hurt again—more likely, he thought, he feared rejection by whomever had mutilated his otherwise perfect skin.

There were signs of infection, so Sasuke admitted him to a burn unit and called for a psych eval. He went home disgruntled and disturbed in a way he had not been in a while. As the sun came up, he sank into his long-denied sleep. He woke up free from the disease known as _giving too many fucks_.

Three months passed. Sasuke forgot—mostly—about the young man with the brand seared into his shoulder. He was taking a well-deserved break on a rare Saturday off. 

The club buzzed with chatter about the new member. There was more than a little sub frenzy in play, according to the rumors, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. Ever since _Fifty Shades of Shit_ had come out, he had fought the tsunami of over-eager subs and would-be doms. The influx had cooled a bit over the past year, though, and it had been a few months since he’d had to rein anyone in.

He sought out Ino, the club's social director, to get information about the new ingenue. He could imagine it, now; a young, college-aged girl or a timid, middle-aged woman with stars in their eyes, hoping to land the perfect dom on their first night in the club.

Ino was involved with a scene with her pet, Sai, who, as usual, was tricked out in leather pony regalia and a bit. Sasuke waited as Ino put Sai through his paces with the help of a well-aimed single tail.

“Mmhm, he came to a munch about a week ago,” she told him when he asked about any new subs. “Eager to let us know he was a sub. Eager to let us know he was a bottom and a quote-unquote “true masochist.” I didn’t expect him to show, but he’s here. You’ll find him walking around like a kid in a candy store. Black latex pants and black fishnet shirt. Blond hair, blue eyes. Can’t miss him.”

She went back to teasing Sai with her single tail, and Sasuke went on a search for the blond novice before he could get himself in trouble.

Sasuke took his duties as dungeon monitor very seriously, almost as seriously as he took the medical profession. He was known for keeping an eagle-eyed watch over all who entered, subs especially. Between him and Kakashi, the club’s founder and Sasuke’s mentor, their club gained a reputation for high standards and strict protocols. Doms—or subs, for that matter—who did not abide by the club’s rules were ejected, and all regional BDSM clubs put on notice about repeat offenders.

He found the blond young man milling around, watching a scene. Hinata, a Gorean kajira, was doing a traditional Gorean dance with a whip on stage. The boy watched in admiration as the flimsy, sheer silk kamisk fluttered around Hinata’s generous curves.

“Raven.”

Sasuke turned his head away from the young man and acknowledged Kiba—Fang, as he was known at the club. Sasuke did not much appreciate the Gorean lifestyle. Like _Fifty Shades of Cringe,_ it belonged, in his opinion, between the covers of badly-written fiction.

“My girl is looking good tonight, huh?” Kiba boasted.

“You know that’s not my taste,” Sasuke said with a smirk.

“I can’t understand, but who am I to judge?” Kiba laughed. “Who’s the blond guy?” The look in his eyes suggested a territorial animosity.

“He’s new. No threat to you.”  
  


Hinata finished her dance and sank to her knees. She knelt with her legs apart and her back arched, forcing her large breasts upward. “La Kajira!” she cried in her girlish voice. There was appreciative applause among the men of the audience, and Kiba strode quickly to the stage to escort her away.

Uzumaki looked vaguely discontented as he wandered away from the scene. He startled when Sasuke walked up to him. His reddened when he recognized the emergency room doctor. He looked away with a sort of pouting expression. “Oh. Hey, Doctor…”

“It’s Dungeon Monitor Raven when we’re here,” Sasuke said. “I understand you’re new to the club. Is there something I can help you with?”

Uzumaki scratched the back of his neck. “Uhh… no. Not really. Except… do you know anyone interested in a scene? I’m a good bottom.” His voice brimmed with confidence.

Sasuke suppressed an annoyed sigh. _Sub frenzy, indeed,_ he thought.

“The dungeon is not the place to negotiate that when you aren’t familiar with others,” Sasuke told him icily. “Whether you realize it or not, this lifestyle is about trusting relationships.”  
  


“So I have to be in a relationship?” the boy shrieked in apparent disbelief.

“Are you unfamiliar with the broader concept of human relationships?” Sasuke snapped. “Every interaction here is a relationship, even if it’s just for a night, and every single one is predicated upon mutual respect between the top and the bottom. If you can’t understand that, you don’t belong here.”  
  


It was harsh, but it was true, and Sasuke knew that it was better for Naruto to hear this from him instead of learning it in the negative from a bad scene.

The boy looked at him with a wild sort of desperation in his eyes. Sasuke held his stare, neither relaxing his stance or glancing away. Eventually, Uzumaki huffed angrily and stomped away.

Sasuke hoped that would be the last time he saw him.

Unfortunately, two weeks later, he saw him, again. Sakura was acting as Dungeon Monitor, this time, because Sasuke was doing a scene with Ino.

Ino was the rare unicorn: a domme who was also a masochist. She and Sasuke had discussed this scene for months, and now, she was draped over a table as Sasuke slowly and deliberately carved designs into the flawless skin over her shoulder blade.

Sasuke did not share with strangers at the club that he was a medical doctor. It could possibly lead to liability issues. Ino, though, knew Sasuke's profession. They had known each other for years, having come into the lifestyle around the same time in their youths, and each trusted the other implicitly; otherwise, he would never have ventured into this territory with her.

He was not the least bit interested in women sexually; there was something profoundly gratifying about playing with a woman’s body in this particular way, though. He went into another zone as he cut slowly and methodically into her fair skin with a scalpel. Ino gasped or whimpered a few times, but she did not move. Blood trickled down her shoulders over her back.

When he was finished, he cleaned her back carefully with antiseptic and gauze. When the blood was no longer streaming but was still seeping through his precise lines, he laid a thick, cloth-like paper towel over her scar. He gently smoothed over it and lifted it away; as she had requested, she would now have a frameable reminder of her scarification. He carefully displayed it to her so she could see the intricately detailed serpents he had created over her shoulder blade.

She was panting, and her eyes were dilated. When she saw the design, she began to cry from a heady cocktail of racing neurochemicals. “It’s beautiful,” she breathed.

He laid the item aside to dry and maneuvered Ino around so that spectators could see her new scarification. Once again, appreciative applause rippled through the crowd. Sasuke disinfected her wounds. As he and Ino had discussed, he dressed the scars with impermeable plastic bandages.

Sasuke looked out into the crowd when he was done and saw Uzumaki. Even from a distance, Sasuke could see the gleam of fascination in his eyes. He frowned angrily. This boy had already been irreparably scarred by an irresponsible dom; Sasuke had no intention of entertaining any ideas he might have about receiving his own cuts.

He could not focus on Uzumaki right now. Ino was shaking—not from pain, Sasuke knew well, but from coming off the intense high engendered by it. He motioned to Sai, but Ino’s boy was already walking to the stage with a warm blanket and a bottle of water.

“Very good, submissive,” Sasuke told him. Sai smiled at the compliment and bundled Ino into the blanket. He gave her some water to drink then helped her down from the stage to one of the private rooms for aftercare. Sasuke would check in on her in a moment. He, himself was beginning to feel the effects of the long scarification process. His hands and wrists ached, as did his neck and back.

He carefully disposed of the single-use scalpel and latex gloves, then disinfected the area where they had played. After thoroughly washing his hands, he walked to the table spread with refreshments. He located a bottle of water and heaped fruit and cheese onto a paper plate. He had just begun to eat when Uzumaki bounded over to him like a puppy.

“That was so _cool!_ ” he said.

“Thanks,” Sasuke said coldly.

“I wanna do that!” Uzumaki proclaimed. “Could you help me with that? Could you cut a design into my back that way? I have some designs I like, and I have a high toler…”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“But why?” Naruto whined. “Why won’t you? I’ll do exactly what you tell me to do. I’ll be obedient…”

“That’s the problem,” Sasuke snapped. “You don’t know your boundaries. I will not take that on, and if I find that any of the doms in the club have taken it on, you’ll both be thrown out. This isn’t the place for you. I need you to realize that and go home. Do yourself and me a big favor and don’t come back.”

Naruto’s mouth dropped open. He took a few reeling steps backwards. “I… like it here.”

“Then learn some etiquette,” Sasuke said abruptly. “Stop demanding things that no sane person would do for you.”

With that, he turned to leave. 

He went to Ino’s private room to check in on her and to decompress, himself. Sai was pressing a cool cloth to her head when he entered. She looked up at him with a blissed-out expression on her face.

“Sasuke, hey,” she said woozily.

“How are you doing?” he asked.

“Just fine,” she murmured. She nuzzled into Sai’s hand as he pet her platinum hair.

“You were quite beautiful onstage,” he told her sincerely. Ino took impeccable care of her skin and hair, and she had worn a beautiful, crimson, velvet-and-satin bra that displayed her naturally large bust to advantage; she was well aware of how enticing a vision she had presented to the club members. Even Sasuke, a gay man, had found it aesthetically pleasing.

“Mm, thank you, Dungeon Monitor,” Ino said with a drugged-sounding giggle. Sai smiled at her and kissed her forehead. “You think the scars will stay?”  
  


“I’m almost certain of it. Your skin is delicate, and I cut steadily. It would be unusual for it not to scar. That doesn’t mean that the design won’t have uneven areas or fade out in places over time.” Sasuke did not worry much; Ino and he had discussed this many, many times. She knew what she was getting into. “I’ll check on it every few days,” he told her.

He finished his fruit and cheese as he gradually came back into himself. Caring for Ino, even though he was not physically touching her, allowed him to reconcile the Sasuke who could carve up a woman’s back with the Sasuke who had taken the Hippocratic oath. He stood and stretched, then excused himself. Ino was drifting in and out of sleep as Sai tended to her.

In the club, things were wrapping up for the night. Sakura waved him down and trotted over to him. In her pink corset and kitten regalia, it would have been easy for newcomers to mistake her for a soft and docile little sub. Sasuke, though, knew that when it came to monitoring the play in the dungeon, Sakura was second only to Sasuke himself. She was, in Sasuke’s eyes, a perfect sub. She enjoyed submission, and she was a sought-after bottom for scenes, but she was choosy about her play partners. She was unafraid of declining scenes she did not enjoy, and she never, ever hesitated to call a dom out on churlish behavior.

As a dungeon monitor, she was almost as ruthless as Sasuke, and he was thankful that she had been available to watch over the club during his scene with Ino and afterwards.

“I didn’t get to watch all of your scene, sadly,” she said, pouting prettily. “What I saw was beautiful. You have such a steady hand! Be careful, or I might be asking you to carve on me.” She winked playfully.

“Hn.” Sakura was the one other person he might consider doing scarification for; after all, she herself was a doctor and a lifestyle veteran. “How was everything else?”

“It was _great,”_ she said. “There was a marvelous piercing scene on one stage, and impact play on another. I think the club really shined tonight.”

“Good,” he said. “You haven’t happened to have noticed a young blond man skulking around, have you?”

“You mean Naruto?” she asked with a chuckle. “ _Everyone’s_ seen Naruto. He’s enthusiastic, for sure.”

“Did he get involved in any play?” he asked nervously.

“No. I kept a close eye on him. All the shady doms know me by now, and they know I’d shut that shit down really fast. The reputable ones aren’t gonna just play with a new kid without a lot of discussion first.”

“Good,” Sasuke said.

“He’s got potential,” Sakura mused. This surprised Sasuke; he saw nothing but a potential for lifelong disability and psychic trauma with Uzumaki. “He always asks how he can help. The set up and cleanup crews have really started to love him.”

Just then, a loud, brash laugh caught Sasuke’s attention. He looked around and noticed that Naruto was carrying one of the folding tables out from the buffet area. The older sub in charge of refreshments was beaming at him.

“Help me keep an eye on him,” Sasuke said.

“Sure, you know we have a policy of watching out for newbies,” Sakura said. “But why Naruto, specifically?”

“I have a bad feeling,” Sasuke said. “I can’t explain it. I don’t want to see him get in over his head.”

Sakura bit her lip and studied Sasuke’s expression. “All right. I don’t really get it, but I know you and your ‘gut feelings.’ You’d tell me if something serious were wrong, wouldn’t you?”

“Like I said, it’s a feeling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so this is a subject near and dear to my heart. I want to do it justice. Therefore, updates may be slow, because I'm putting more thought into this story and feel more responsibility for its content than I do with others I've written. 
> 
> This isn't pwp. This is hardly porn at all, even though sex will be depicted, as will kink. Again, it's about establishing trust between broken people (not broken because they're into BDSM, mind, just that they have rough emotional histories) and how love can develop from there. 
> 
> Please do not brand yourself with cattle irons. Cows don't have skin like ours; it's thicker, and it's tougher, adapted for harsh conditions and exposure. Yes, human branding exists. But you should research it thoroughly before you undertake it. I don't recommend that you try it yourself with improvised tools. Do not try it with an eager but uneducated partner. Be safe and remember that your skin is your body's largest organ and its first protection from pathogens. Also, understand that taking a white-hot piece of metal to your skin is not going to create an aesthetic design in most cases. It's going to create a big lump of poorly-delineated keloids.
> 
> Do not cut yourself with a scalpel nor allow someone ignorant and inexperienced cut you with one. They're sharp. Sharp enough to do surgery with, after all. All scarification must be done with the utmost care to prevent infection and damage to more than just the skin. This is something that's done, but it's something done with utmost prejudice.


	2. Whip It Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A play party/exposition at the club brings Naruto into contact with less-than-ideal play partners. Sasuke is asked to make a decision that he did not want to consider.

The next two weeks found Sasuke unusually busy. He had worked his usual shifts at the hospital. In addition, he was helping the club prepare for its annual exposition. The event was a huge deal for the club. They hosted and cooperated with a number of other clubs and with various subsections of the lifestyle. Multiple demonstrations on multiple stages, aftercare areas, security, and publicity all had to be coordinated. It was an event that inevitably brought in a rush of funds and new members, and it was crucial to the maintenance of the club’s impeccable reputation.

Sasuke was wearing his favorite black leather pants, tight and well cared-for, and his favorite black leather combat-style boots. He went shirtless, allowing everyone to see his pierced nipples and his body art.

He was proud of the ink; the intricately-crafted, black feather wings covered his shoulder blades and tapered down his back, following the angle of his trim waist. He worked out assiduously, and the tattoo accentuated his masculine angles.

“Raven. So nice to see you, again. I hope you earned that leather,” said a very large man with long, black hair. He wore leather pants, motorcycle boots, and a leather vest.

“Kakuzu,” Sasuke acknowledged. “Not your club, not your rules. Nice to have you _visiting._ ”

Kakuzu laughed and walked off with his retinue; Hidan, Kakuzu’s partner, wore shiny, leather leggings and a white, silk shirt open to his waist.

Sasuke knew some of the rituals and protocols of their group. Like many leather fetishist clubs, they insisted that a person “earn” three pieces of leather regalia before buying any of their own. Sasuke, though, had been initiated into the lifestyle at age 19 by Kakashi—who, himself, had been initiated into it by a much older leather man in his own youth.

“Our group was about lawlessness,” Kakashi told Sasuke. “We were outliers. We didn’t do fancy capping rituals or have rules about who wore what; we bought leather because we liked it and wearing it helped us find others who were like us.”

The club Kakashi founded had never had rules about who could wear what. The only stipulation about dress was that, outside the club, at munches in public, vanilla spaces, obvious BDSM gear shouldn’t be worn. This was not designed to rank members and impose sumptuary laws, but to protect the privacy of the group. 

“Sasuke-kun! How eternally lovely you are!”

Sasuke smiled wryly as the older man’s eyes traveled up and down his body. Orochimaru had always fancied Sasuke. “It’s Raven here, Orochimaru,” he reminded the older man. Orochimaru had been one of his medical school instructors, and although he later came to know him from lifestyle events, it was hard for his old professor to drop his real name and the honorific he insisted on using.

“Of course, please forgive my lapse in etiquette,” Orochimaru said. “We are pleased to be hosted by your highly esteemed club, Dungeon Monitor Raven.”

“We are likewise pleased to have you,” Sasuke said. The group from Otogakure specialized in medical play, among other niches, and whatever they did, it was always extreme. Still, Orochimaru was a doctor, and all of them were careful.

Sasuke thought of Uzumaki with a scowl. Both the Akatsuki and Otogakure would love to get their hands on a fit, impressionable young sub like him. As if summoned, the young man bounded up to him at the entrance. “Hey, Dungeon Monitor Raven!” he said in a rush. “It’s a great night, I’m so excited! Wow! I never knew you had tattoos!” He delicately touched Sasuke’s shoulder blade with his fingertips.

“Have you read the etiquette handbook you were given?” Sasuke asked snappishly. “You aren’t to touch people without their prior consent. Ever.”

Uzumaki pulled his hand away from Sasuke’s shoulder as if burned. He looked dejected, and Sasuke noticed something else in his eyes. He seemed lost and panicked, as if he were barely keeping a predator from grabbing his heels. It filled Sasuke with foreboding.

“Just remember next time,” he said more gently.

“Hey, I got here early, so I could help,” Uzumaki said. “Does anybody need anything?”

Whatever else he could say about Uzumaki, he had effortlessly grasped the communal responsibility aspect of the club.

“Everything should be in place,” Sasuke told him. “This is different from our usual play parties.”

“Aww. OK,” Uzumaki said with a disappointed pout. He started to walk away.

“Hey,” Sasuke called out. Uzumaki looked up at him with wide, blue eyes. “Be careful. Others are here tonight, from other clubs with other protocols. Look out for yourself. Ask for help if you need it.”

Uzumaki looked really surprised at this, but he grinned and gave Sasuke a thumbs-up. Sasuke shook his head as he bounded off.

“That kid should really have worn a collar tonight,” Ino said, coming to stand by Sasuke. “I offered him a club collar, but he declined. He wants to “earn” his collar.”

“Tch.” Sasuke scowled sourly. “He _has_ earned a club collar, just by virtue of him being a member, a sub, and a helping hand at events. What kind of idiocy…” 

The club offered temporary collars to submissives who were unsure of themselves or who wanted extra help screening potential doms. It signified to interested tops that they were to negotiate all play involving the submissive with someone from club leadership, generally Sasuke or Kakashi, and that they were not to be approached independently.

“He wants a master,” Ino supplied. “He’s afraid a collar will deter eligible doms.”

“It _won’t_ deter anyone of worth, but it’ll make outsiders think twice before trying to play with a neophyte.”

“We both know that, Sasuke,” Ino said, rolling her eyes. Lots of people go through stages like this. He’ll learn.”

“I’m afraid of _what_ and _how_ he’ll learn,” Sasuke snapped.

“Aww, look at you, Sasuke!” Ino said playfully. “It’s almost like you _like_ him or something.”

“I’d _like_ for him to avoid getting himself permanently disfigured in my club,” Sasuke retorted, even as his face heated. He knew the calculations Ino was making in her mind; he could see the gleam in her eyes. Sasuke rarely took a heavy interest in any of the new subs, beyond ensuring that they were safe.

Ino took her place on the other side of the entrance to greet club members as they streamed in. Kakashi himself was there, which always reassured Sasuke at events. He looked over his old mentor appreciatively. He was aging exceptionally well, and his skin-tight, sleeveless black shirt and tight leather jeans called attention to the taut, sculpted muscles.

It had been years since Sasuke and he had been involved in anything other than a professional capacity, but Sasuke still respected and cared for the man who had introduced him to this world. Together, they scouted the club, carefully watching the demonstrations on the various stages and discreetly checking on the private play in the alcoves.

“That blond kid who’s been here,” Kakashi began, “I heard he was getting close to Kakuzu and Hidan.”

Sasuke glowered. “What do you mean?”

Kakashi shrugged. “I’ve seen him talking to them both a lot.”

An uneasy feeling brewed in Sasuke’s gut. “I’ll keep an eye out,” he said.

“Good idea,” Kakashi agreed.

It became harder and harder to keep an eye out for Naruto, though, with so much going on. Sasuke was not the only monitor tonight; Sakura was also on duty, and Kakashi was a force unto himself. With so many stages open and so many people gathered, they were all working over time.

It was well into the early morning hours when Sai hurried over to him. “Mistress says to tell you that the new boy is playing with Hidan,” he said.

Sasuke’s blood boiled. “Thank you, submissive. You may go back to your Mistress and thank her for me.”

Sai bowed and walked off quickly. Sasuke stalked through the club until he found the alcove where a small crowd had gathered.

“Move on!” Sakura barked at the specators. “Get out of here, now!” Her expression suggested that she was tense and rattled; she never looked like this, and Sasuke worried even more for Uzumaki’s well-being.

He pushed through the dispersing crowd and growled.

Uzumaki was draped over a sawhorse, and Hidan was whipping him with a tightly braided signal whip. What really made Sasuke burn, however, was that Uzumaki’s back was already bleeding in places. Hidan took no care as he released the whip; he struck the delicate flesh where Uzumaki had once been branded, where Sasuke knew sensation was impaired. He had struck him in the lower back, over and over, the repeated lashes creating deepening trenches.

The remaining onlookers responded in different ways. Some were entranced; others, horrified. Some of Hidan’s confreres looked on approvingly.

“Everyone, _leave. Now!”_ Sasuke barked. Hidan froze, whip in hand. As the last of the crowd scattered, Sasuke strode up and caught his wrist. “You’re done,” he said harshly.

Hidan looked at him, his humanity almost gone in his orgiastic glee. “He hasn’t safeworded!” he protested.

_He’s not going to,_ Sasuke thought grimly.

Uzumaki, himself, seemed insensate. His eyes were glazed, and he drooled as he lay over the sawhorse. Nothing about this scene had been carefully considered—not the space, not the proper use of restraints, and certainly not who was holding the whip.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s up to you, as the top, to ensure his safety, and you’re not doing that,” Sasuke said sharply.

Hidan scowled at him. “He’s fine. He’s a strong boy, and he clearly likes pain. You have no reason to stop me.”  
  


“Here,” Sasuke said in a low, threatening voice, “my word goes. Leave. Now.” Sasuke raised his arm and snapped his finger. A few club members who acted as security came to his side.

“This man is to be escorted out. Find the rest of his group and inform them that they are to leave, as well,” Sasuke said. Sakura rushed to his side.

“I’m sorry,” she said, pale and shaken.

“We’ll talk later. Go get Kakashi, and come back down here.” Sasuke went to Uzumaki’s side and looked over his back. Few knowledgeable doms would have beaten him over and over again on the same spot, much less on his lower back. The scars from the branding were angry and vivid red.

“Uzumaki,” he said.

Naruto groaned and lolled his head to the side.

“Uzumaki!” he said more sharply.

“D-d-dungeon M-…”

“Shut up,” Sasuke cut him off. “Are you all right?”

Naruto said nothing. Sasuke was filled with rage, both at the haphazard Hidan and the gung-ho sub.

Kakashi was soon at his side. “This got bad fast, looks like,” he muttered.

“Help me get him to a room,” Sasuke said. The two men carefully lifted Uzumaki up by his arms. His legs sank beneath him.

There was no good way to get him out of there without touching the abused flesh on his back. They half lifted, half dragged him to the nearest room and laid him down on the mat-covered platform on his stomach.

“Your med kit in the office?” Kakashi asked him. Sasuke nodded. “I’ll bring it right back.”

Naruto moaned and shivered. Sasuke pet his hair soothingly, but without tools to clean and disinfect his back, there was not much more he could do for him. Sakura made it back before Kakashi did. She handed him latex gloves and snapped a pair onto her own hands, as well.

Together, they carefully and delicately irrigated the wounds on Uzumaki’s back, then disinfected them. Sasuke was grateful that none required stitches, although a few came perilously close. Hidan had not had much time with Naruto, thankfully, and the wounds, while not insignificant, were few and non-threatening.

“He hit him over and over again on his lower back. He could have injured his kidneys,” Sasuke growled angrily.

Sakura looked agitated, but although Sasuke could tell she wanted to offer her apologies and explanations, she wisely held her tongue. Kakashi came in with Sasuke’s medical supply bag.

Sasuke carefully bandaged the wounds that needed it.

“He’s going to need follow-up care,” Kakashi remarked.

“Then I’ll see to it that he gets it,” Sasuke said. He unfolded a clean blanket from inside of a cabinet and draped it carefully over Naruto’s body. “Does Ino have any of his information?”

“I’ll check,” Sakura said. She sped out of the room.

“Never seen you so involved in aftercare for a scene that wasn’t yours,” Kakashi said.

“I’m the Dungeon Monitor. It’s my job. That useless fuckwad who whipped him sure as hell wasn’t going to do it,” Sasuke said heatedly.

Kakashi shrugged. “Thought you’d hand him off to a medical facility at this point.”

Sasuke’s chest throbbed uncomfortably. He began to second-guess his judgment. Perhaps Uzumaki would be better served by another doctor in a sterile facility.

“No,” Uzumaki groaned. “Please don’t take me to the hospital, Dungeon Monitor Raven,” he pleaded.

Sasuke sighed. “Fine. But you will do exactly as I tell you. You are not to do any more impact play until it’s healed. Am I clear?”

Uzumaki nodded. Tears gathered in his eyes, and he trembled. Sasuke continued to pet him as the overwhelming emotions washed over him.

“Well. This is looking more and more private,” Kakashi said as he stood. “I’ll speak with you later, Raven.”

Kakashi left Sasuke alone with the weeping sub and his own anger and helplessness. To Sasuke, BDSM had always been about control; what he had witnessed tonight was anything but controlled, though. Uzumaki was reckless and unable to think in a self-preserving way. Hidan had lost himself to the thrill of having willing flesh to mark. Things could have been much, much worse, and would have, had Sai not notified him.

Someone knocked at the door, and Sasuke knew it was likely Sakura. He called to her to enter.

“Ino has his address and phone number,” she said. She handed him a slip of paper.

“Thank you,” he said.

He drove Naruto home to his shabby apartment in a run-down part of town. The place was an utter disaster, and Sasuke ached to scrub his hands as he helped Uzumaki get situated on the bed. He left after checking his blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and temperature.

Over the next week, regardless of his other duties, Sasuke visited Uzumaki daily to check on his wounds and clean them. He learned that he worked for a landscaping company, and he was horrified when, two days after the incident, Uzumaki insisted upon going back to work. “I’m a doctor,” Sasuke told him. “I can write you an excuse.”

“Can’t pay my rent if I don’t work,” Uzumaki argued.

“Don’t you have any sick days you can use?” Sasuke asked.

Uzumaki barked out a derisive laugh. “There’s no such thing as sick days in my work,” he said.

There was nothing for it; Uzumaki went back to work. Sasuke continued his visits, though, sometimes speeding over before a shift at the hospital began or dragging in after one ended.

He was happy to see that the wounds were healing well. Uzumaki would have some scars, but that didn’t seem to bother him—and he was an amazingly fast healer.

“Always have been!” Uzumaki proclaimed with a wide grin.

On the seventh day, Sasuke hauled himself up to Uzumaki’s apartment after a particularly harrowing shift. Child abuse, wife battering, suicide attempts—he had seen it all, and the tension throbbed through his limbs.

He let himself into Uzumaki’s apartment with the extra key the kid had given him; sometimes, he said, he was so tired he didn’t hear the knock at the door, and he didn’t want to keep Sasuke waiting. It was a thoughtful gesture, but it made Sasuke hurt. Uzumaki trusted too much. He needed protection, he needed care beyond anything Sasuke could offer him as a doctor.

He quietly entered the shabby apartment. He found the blond-haired boy sprawled over his futon on his stomach. He walked to his side and knelt down, then placed his hand over Uzumaki’s arm.

To Sasuke’s alarm, the kid shot up with a keening wail. “No!” he cried. “Don’t hurt me, please!”

“Uzumaki,” Sasuke said. “ _Uzumaki!”_

The boy turned and looked at him. His eyes were glazed over and showed no sign of recognition.

“Uzumaki. _Naruto._ It’s all right.” Sasuke gripped his shoulders, still careful to avoid wounds. “It’s all right, Naruto. Everything is fine. Nobody’s going to hurt you.”

Slowly, Naruto became aware of Sasuke’s presence.

“I’m sorry, Dungeon Monitor Raven,” he mumbled with a pout.

“You call me Dr. Uchiha away from the club,” Sasuke reminded him. Uzumaki rarely called him anything other than “Dungeon Master Raven,” no matter how many times he told him to use his name.

“I’m sorry, Dr. Uchiha. I guess I just had a nightmare.”

“I can see that.” Sasuke was shaken. The terror in Naruto’s eyes told him that it was not nightmares so much as remembering nightmarish realities. He wondered if this was part of why the young man so eagerly sought out pain.

“Let’s see how you’re healing,” he said. He pulled on a pair of gloves as Naruto lay down on his stomach again.

Sasuke lifted away the bandages. Against anything he would have believed, Naruto was mostly healed. He cleaned all the cuts and dressed them once again. “Do you realize how badly this could have gone for you?”

With his finger, he traced a red welt that wrapped around from his back to just under his rib cage in the front. “Your liver,” he said. He placed the palm of his hand on the left side of his lower back. “Your kidney. That top didn’t even bother to ensure that you were restrained properly or that there was adequate space for the whip he was using. What if you’d moved? His aim was bad enough as it was. He could easily have hit your face, your ear, or your eye.”

Naruto stared up at Sasuke guilelessly, as if the thought that he could actually come to harm had never occurred to him—even though he had been in the hospital for serious burns just months before the flogging.

“There’s a lot more to this than finding someone to inflict pain on you,” Sasuke explained. “There’s understanding what can go wrong. There’s finding someone qualified to play with you the way you want them to. There’s understanding when it’s gone too far for you and speaking up. He lashed your burn scars at one point; do you realize the kind of damage you can do to tissue that doesn’t have proper nerve conductivity? Where there’s numbness and dysaesthesia?”

“Oh,” Naruto said bleakly.

“You’re fortunate. You’re mostly healed, now. You no longer need my care. Remember what I’ve told you. And if you pull something like that at the club again, you’ll be banned,” Sasuke finished.

Naruto bit his lip and looked up at Sasuke. “Uhm. I have something to ask you,” he said nervously.

“Go ahead,” Sasuke said.

Naruto rolled into a sitting position. “I have a problem,” he said.

“You have a lot of problems.”

“Well, yeah,” Uzumaki agreed. “Uhm. I like pain. I like it a lot. Maybe I like it too much. I keep… trying. To be responsible. But I keep fucking up. You’ve seen it happen.”

“Yes,” Sasuke answered. “I have. And yes, you bear some responsibility, but so do your play partners.”

“Well, yeah…” Naruto ran his hands through his messy hair. “That’s kind of my point. I don’t know how to choose a good partner.”

“There are guidelines, I know Ino has informed you of that,” Sasuke said tiredly.

“Yeah, but I still seem to miss something when I play with others. So…”

To Sasuke’s surprise, Naruto rolled off the bed and got onto his knees. He bowed his head.

“Dr. Uchiha, sir… Dungeon Monitor Raven… I would like to request your collar.”

This was not what Sasuke had expected at all. He was accustomed to people requesting his collar; he never acquiesced, though. The only collars he had ever bestowed were play collars during scenes at the club, and when the scene was over, those collars came back to him.

He had never wanted a sub “of his own.” He was too busy. He was too irritable, too impatient. The young man kneeling before him would be a huge responsibility for any dom; he was reckless, green, and enthusiastic. He needed patience and mentorship, not irascibility and aloofness.

Yet Sasuke remembered how he had shown up at the hospital—alone—after being branded by a careless sadist. He remembered him bleeding, refusing to safeword, while a maniac heedlessly lashed his back. This boy _needed_ a good Dom.

Just as Sasuke once had needed one.

He placed his finger beneath Naruto’s chin and tilted it up. “Do you understand what that means?” he asked.

“I… I think so,” Naruto breathed. “It means I have to obey you. That I’m responsible to you, and you’re responsible for me.”

“Tch.” Sasuke huffed. “It _means_ that you and I have to trust each other.”

“I do trust you!” Naruto exclaimed hastily. “You’ve healed me up twice, now. You have a key to my apartment. I trust you more than anybody!”

“I said, we have to trust each other,” Sasuke corrected. “I have to be able to trust you, too.”

“You can trust me!” Naruto assured him. “I won’t play with other Doms, and I’ll do everything you say, I can be really obedient!”

“That’s not the kind of trust I’m talking about!” Sasuke shouted. Naruto recoiled slightly, his eyes wide and frightened. Sasuke felt a pang of guilt.

“Naruto,” he said tiredly, “If you were my sub, I would need to trust you to state your limits. I would need to trust that you would tell me if I was violating those limits. That is a crucial part of this kind of relationship.”

“I don’t have any limits!” Naruto said cheerfully. “You could do whatever you wanted, and I’d be OK with it. I trust you, I already told you that!”

“Everybody has limits,” Sasuke said tensely. _“Everybody._ And those who don’t know their own—whether they’re a sub or a Dom—are dangerous to themselves and others. Look at your back. You’ve now been branded, for which you were put in the hospital. Now, a few months later, you’ve been whipped by an inexperienced and undisciplined top. You could have required stitches. You could have sustained damage to your internal organs. If you can’t stand up for yourself, you are not in any way ready to be in this kind of relationship.”

“But…” Naruto’s lower lip trembled and he looked down. “You wouldn’t do those things. You would know what you’re doing.”

“ _Nobody_ is so good that they don’t need reliable communication,” Sasuke said.

“But you’re a doctor, you’d know if you were going to far!”

Sasuke bit back on the anger and frustration that welled within him. “I’m a doctor, not a mutant with X-Ray vision or telepathy. If you are unable to say when we’ve gone too far, either physically or psychologically, I could hurt you terribly, which in turn would damage me. It’s like you said; I’m a doctor. I chose that profession to heal people, not to fuck them up for life!”

“I’ll… I’ll tell you, then,” Naruto sobbed. “Just please. I need this.”

Sasuke let out a long-suffering sigh. “I’ll think about it.” He picked up his phone and pulled up a website. He messaged the link to Naruto. “That is a link to some surveys concerning the BDSM lifestyle,” he said. “Fill out every single one of them within 24 hours. Copy and paste the results of each one and text them to me. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Master,” Naruto said dutifully.

“Don’t,” Sasuke growled in admonition. “I’m not your _master_. You don’t give that title away to someone who hasn’t earned it or accepted it. That’s your first lesson.”

“Yes, sir,” Naruto amended.

“Good. Good boy,” Sasuke said. Naruto squirmed and beamed.

_Praise kink, noted,_ Sasuke thought.

“I have to leave. I just came from the hospital, and I’m exhausted,” he told Naruto. “Text me your survey results. We’ll talk more after that.”

“Yes, m… _sir,_ ” Naruto said.

“And get off your knees. You don’t kneel for someone if you aren’t wearing their collar. Got it?”  
  


“Yes, sir!” Naruto said quickly. He jumped up and stood like a soldier at attention.

Sasuke left his apartment quickly. He was grateful for the scrubs he was still wearing; they somewhat hid his rapidly inflating erection. After many different scenes with many different subs, being called “sir” or “master” held little thrill for him, anymore. At least, it hadn’t, until Naruto had uttered those words.

He collapsed onto his sofa as soon as he arrived at his loft and fell into a deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know why a whip makes that terrifying (titillating, quiver-inducing) crack? It's because, when thrown just so, parts of it accelerate to the speed of sound and create that little sonic boom that Devo immortalized in song. 
> 
> It takes very little time for a dumbass with a whip to fuck you up. When flogging was an acceptable corporal punishment in schools, homes, military, and plantations, people died. Here's the case study of one such man: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/02/what-actually-happens-when-you-get-flogged-death
> 
> When whips are wielded appropriately, by someone who has practiced on chamois and pillows and leaves for a long time before you've bared your back to them, they can be thrilling parts of play that produce a whole range of sensations, depending on the whip that's chosen and how the top wields it. The difference is knowledge. 
> 
> Part of what is so wrong with 50 Shades (the movies) is not just xtian grey (he's a whole pile of dung to himself); it's Anastasia wheedling and begging for something she doesn't really want in order to appease the object of her desire. Subs should have limits. Doms should, as well, and giving in to demands for play when you know that a bottom is a novice who only poorly understand their boundaries, or giving in to demands when you, yourself have doubts, exposes the sub to potential trauma, and it exposes the dom to tremendous feelings of guilt. And can potentially expose them to accusations of abuse. So a sub whining and demanding things that they really don't want when they know they're ambivalent is quite unfair, as is pressuring a sub into things they aren't ready for. 
> 
> Sing it with me, "everybody has limits!" And those should be discussed before anyone gets naked, restrained, flogged, or spanked. 
> 
> Not all clubs offer "club collars" like are offered here. In fact, I know of very few that do. 
> 
> "Leather" lifestyle is full of hotly debated protocols with many adhering to some code set by the "old guard," and many wizened and experienced lifestylers going, "we *were* the old guard? What are you on about?" And the debate will not stop anytime soon. As with all things, it's finding the people you mesh with and practicing mutual respect, whatever protocols are observed.


	3. A Two-Way Street

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke gives thought to Naruto's request. He finds out more about the reckless boy.

Sasuke awoke ten hours later to find several missed messages on his phone. Naruto had taken the surveys immediately, it seemed, as all of them had come in within two hours of Sasuke leaving his apartment. He shook his head and smiled. The boy was certainly eager.

He scrolled through the results as he ate. Naruto’s purity test revealed relative inexperience with BDSM—no surprise, there—yet also a bizarre knowledge of some rather extreme aspects of the lifestyle. Sasuke should not have found this so bizarre; his first encounter with Uzumaki had been after a branding gone wrong.

His interests were cause for concern.

He was “highly interested” in almost every kink. The only ones he marked less enthusiastically were scat, rainbow play, humiliation, and feminization.

Sasuke shook his head and frowned. He had never met anyone who was “mildly interested” in either scat or rainbow play; people tended to be either highly interested or completely averse to those kinks—hard limits. Many of the kinks Naruto had expressed a strong interest in were cause for concern, as well; blood play, breath play, and fire play could all end up in disaster if either partner was careless.

He had intended to use the tests as a way of convincing Naruto not to pursue the lifestyle at this point in his life, at least under Sasuke’s tutelage. He began to see, though, that Naruto would not be deterred, and he had a strong masochistic streak. He recalled his own first experiences in the lifestyle, and how Kakashi had given him the space and the education to understand and locate himself within that world. It was an inestimable gift.

It was a gift he did not trust himself to bestow upon another, though. He had never taken a sub. He had never been driven to. He had play partners, some of whom he had enjoyed more than others, and he frequently mentored new subs at the club. Collaring Naruto, though, would be an entirely different realm of responsibility.

After musing over it all day, Sasuke finally came to a compromise he felt he could deal with.

“I’m not saying I am agreeing to it. I’m telling you it’s a possibility,” Sasuke told Naruto.

“Yeah, but you’re thinkin’ about it! And I know you’ll agree! I’m very charming, Dr. Uchiha!” Naruto said with a wink and a grin.

The statement infuriated Sasuke. How many subs had felt that their brand of submission was irresistible, only to get in over their heads? Still, Naruto was not wrong; he was charming. And Sasuke was charmed. The fear remained—who else might he charm into dominating him, and what toll would it exact?

“I told you before. Relationships of this sort are built upon mutual respect, not charm,” he corrected.

“Well, yeah. I respect you, Dr. Uchiha! But that doesn’t mean I can’t charm you, too.” Naruto tossed him an insouciant grin.

Sasuke stood. “It’s uncomfortable to sit. Let’s walk.” Naruto had met him at a park where they were fully visible and public, but where they had space to speak confidentially.

“What is your experience with this lifestyle? Aside from being branded and mutilated by utter tyros. How did you get into this?” he asked.

Naruto frowned and scrunched up his nose. “I don’t know what a tyro is. Is that somebody who’s into make-believe cow stuff?”

Sasuke nearly spat his coffee at the innocent and ridiculous query. “It means a beginner. Someone unschooled and untried,” he said after he righted himself.

“Oh.” Naruto put his hands in his pockets and smiled wistfully. “I guess… I got into this when I was like, 15 or 16?”

Sasuke arched his brow. What was a 15 or 16 year old boy doing around kink?

“My first boyfriend, he liked rough sex. And I didn’t think I’d ever like anything like that, but I did. I liked it when he slapped me and grabbed me by the throat and held me down. It was like, I could forget everything when we did stuff like that. I kinda just wanted more,” Naruto explained.

“Is that why you broke up with him, then? Because you wanted more?” Sasuke asked. He saved the question of what Naruto wanted to forget for later.

“I’d’ve never broken up with Sora,” Naruto said darkly. “He left when he turned 18, trying to find his dad. His dad was in a cult, and I think they took him in. I heard from him less and less.”

Sasuke said nothing to this, choosing, instead, to study Naruto’s reactions to what he was saying.

“I tried to explain what I wanted to other guys, but most of ‘em were scared to hurt me. And others… they just didn’t go far enough.”

Sasuke sighed heavily. “Is that why you sought out someone going to extremes?”

“Yeah, exactly!” Naruto said cheerfully, as if he were pleased that Sasuke finally understood him. Pressure built behind Sasuke’s eyes.

The next day, in Naruto’s apartment, Naruto knelt in front of him. Sasuke fastened a ball chain around his neck with Sasuke’s own sterling silver dog tags dangling from them. They had been a gift from Kakashi, and had constituted his day collar when he had been Kakashi’s sub.

“This,” he said, adjusting the chain, “is a collar of consideration. This indicates that I am considering you as sub, while you are considering me as a Dom. Do not mistake the “consideration” aspect as an invitation to play with other doms or tops.” He glared at Naruto meaningfully.

Naruto nodded. “I understand.”

“If you find at any time that you are unhappy with this arrangement and wish to end it, then the expectation is that you will tell me honestly and place this collar back into my hands.”

“Yes, sir!” Naruto said. He wiggled with happiness in his place on the floor.

“I’ve already gone over the rules for you. I have written them all and placed them in a binder for future reference. I expect you to read them all and understand them. But for a concise version, allow me to reiterate: You are not to entertain any other offers from doms whilst you wear this collar. You are to do as I tell you at all times. This arrangement does not signify a sexual or romantic relationship between the two of us, nor is it a presumption that there will be one. Should you desire a sexual relationship with someone else, you are to come to me and discuss it _first._ _Y_ ou are to study everything I give you, and you are to be conversant about the material I provide. This means that you must demonstrate that you understand, and if you do not, you are to come to me for clarity.”

“Yes, sir,” Naruto said quietly. Sasuke noted with relief that Naruto actually seemed to be giving serious concern to his demands.

“You are to undergo both a physical exam by a doctor—other than me—and a psychological exam. You and I will be meeting for those exams tomorrow, while I am not working. You will indicate on your registration forms at both offices that I am privy to all results and opinions,” Sasuke said sternly.

This made Naruto frown. “I already had a psych eval at the hospital. You ordered it.”

“This is a separate evaluation, made by a gifted psychologist who is a member of this lifestyle. It’s non-negotiable, Naruto.”  
  


“Yes, sir,” Naruto sighed.

“You will keep your person and your living environment clean,” Sasuke stressed. “I have called for a member of the club to come over and see that it is deep-cleaned and organized to help you get started. Guren is not to be treated as a mere housemaid. She is a highly respected Domme and a professional, and you are to respect her as such.”

“What am I s’posed to call her?” Naruto asked, bewildered.

“’Ma’am’ is acceptable,” Sasuke replied. “Never Mistress. She will be visiting your apartment once a month to ensure that you are keeping things appropriately tidy. I don’t like messes, and there will be punishments if you don’t comply.”

He narrowed his eyes when he noticed Naruto perking up at the mention of punishment. “Do not even think about disobeying me just to elicit a punishment. I assure you, you will not like the correction you receive.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. One final note: we will be out in the vanilla world this week. While I expect you to show me appropriate deference and obedience regardless, you must also understand that we must be discreet. You will not call me Sir, Master, and most certainly not “Dungeon Master Raven.” You will use my real name.”

He motioned for Naruto to come and join him on the sofa. “This is the time for speaking openly, Naruto. I will be less tolerant of questions as this relationship progresses. I will never tolerate disrespect or backtalk.”

Naruto bit his lip. “So this isn’t sexual? But isn’t that kind of the point? And one of the rules here says I can’t cum without permission. But what if I wake up with a hard-on? How am I supposed to take care of things? And what if I cum accidentally? And isn’t talking to you about cumming sexual?”  
  


Sasuke’s lip curled upwards. “No, this is not sexual. While kink is adjacent to sex, it is not synonymous with it. If you wake with a hard-on, then you text and request permission. If you cum accidentally, you will have a consequence.”

The clause had the benefit of annoying Naruto while also teaching him the importance of negotiation. Like most of the exercises Sasuke meant to undertake with Naruto at the beginning, the withholding of orgasm was one designed more to teach a lesson about limits than it was to elicit pure obedience.

“But what if I need to get off but you’re at work with a patient?” Naruto whined.

“Then you wait.”  
  
“What kind of consequences if I don’t?”

“There are plenty of them. You may end up sporting a cock ring. I might possibly put you chastity.”

“Chastity?” Naruto yelped. “What the fuck does that mean?”  
  


Sasuke lightly tapped Naruto’s cheek with his open palm. “Watch your language. It’s a way of ensuring that you cannot touch your genitals. I can lock your penis and scrotum into a cage where you will remain hard, but cannot provide yourself relief.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“One other thing. You are to take care of yourself as long as you are my sub. That means that you will eat properly, get adequate sleep, and maintain therapy.”

Naruto looked stricken. “I… I can’t afford therapy,” he mumbled. “Don’t get insurance on my job.”

Sasuke waved away his concern. “I’ll pay for it. I won’t demand access to your records with your therapist unless I see strong indications of a crisis.”

Naruto still looked unhappy. “This is your chance to speak and voice misgivings,” Sasuke told him.

“Are you gonna… like… drop me if I’m… you know… crazy?” he asked haltingly.

Sasuke sighed. “If your mental health is suffering, then I need to know. You may think that subs hold all the responsibility in a relationship, while doms hold all the authority. The fact is, though, that, even under consideration, I am responsible for looking after you. I have concerns, I won’t lie. I have an obligation to ensure that we proceed in a way that’s beneficial to you.”

Naruto’s eyes widened, then filled with tears.

“Are you all right?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine. Just… nobody’s ever said that to me.”

Sasuke tensed up. “You need to get one thing perfectly clear. If you’re my sub, then it’s because you are a worthy person. I have never given so much as a collar of consideration. This isn’t something I do for entertainment, so I expect you, as my sub, to reflect confidence and self-worth. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir!”

The following Monday, Sasuke arrived at Naruto’s apartment to find him dressed in what Sasuke supposed were his nicest khakis and polo shirt. He had made an effort to tame his wild hair, and he smelled nice. He grinned as he got into Sasuke’s Range Rover.

“Sweet ride!” he said with a giggle.

“Hn.”

The physical was unremarkable. The doctor, another member of the club, looked over Naruto’s healing wounds and congratulated Sasuke on how well he had treated them. Naruto was in excellent physical health, owing to an active lifestyle and good genetics. Sasuke requested a battery of tests for both STIs and other blood-borne illnesses. The doctor gave them a number to call to get the results after a week, and they left.

Naruto was clearly anxious, though, at the psychiatry practice. Sasuke had had to call in a few favors to get the appointment so quickly, but given the disturbing incidents Sasuke had witnessed in Naruto’s life, he felt it was imperative.

Anko entered the waiting room exactly on time. “Mr. Uzumaki?” she walked over to Naruto and held out her hand.

Naruto stood and shook her hand firmly. “Yes, Ma’am, that’s me!”

Anko traded a discreet smile with Sasuke. “I’m Dr. Mitarashi. It’s nice to meet you. Shall we talk?”

“Yeah, I mean, yes, ma’am, Dr. Mitarashi,” Naruto said hastily. He looked at Sasuke in bewilderment as they made their way to the door of the waiting room.

“You and I are going to speak alone for right now,” Anko told him, correctly surmising the cause of his confusion. “Is that OK with you?”  
  


“Yes, Ma’am! It’s fine,” Naruto assured her. Sasuke could tell he was nervous.

Naruto and Anko emerged an hour and a half later. Naruto looked frazzled and dejected. Anko looked serious.

“Sasuke, a word, please,” she said. Sasuke rose and followed her back to her office.

“So?” he asked her.

Anko clucked her tongue. “He isn’t delusional or psychotic. I’m concerned, though, and I suspect you are, too, if you brought him to me. You’ve sent new subs to me from the club. Never have you requested an immediate appointment, and never have you come with them.”  
  


“I’ve collared him,” he said. “He’s under consideration. I have concerns, which you’ve correctly deduced.”

He let out a long sigh. “The first time I met him, I was working in the ER. He came in with an infected burn from a very badly applied brand. It looked like his top had used a cattle iron. The burns were severe. He came in alone. I told him I would be discussing this with you today, by the way.”

“Jesus Christ,” Anko muttered.

“He then showed up at the club, clearly a new, uncollared, frenzied sub. At the exposition, an Akatsuki member asked him if he wanted to be whipped. He ended up bloodied, and he never safeworded,” Sasuke went on. “I halted the scene immediately, and I tended to his cuts. He requested my collar because he says he recognizes that he can’t make good decisions on his own.”

Anko let out a long whistle. “Wow. That’s a whole lot, right there. Sasuke, this kid has a rough background. He grew up in foster care. He was orphaned before he could remember his parents. He has a need for acceptance and a fear of rejection that are terrifying. Not only that, I suspect he’s using the pain as a sort of high to escape intrusive thoughts. I’m referring him to a psychiatrist, because I strongly feel that he has PTSD. If that’s the case, he needs treatment.”

“A lot of us come to this lifestyle with problems,” Sasuke murmured.

“Not all of us find what we need in the lifestyle. If you’re seriously considering taking this kid on as a sub, you need to fully understand that it will be tantamount to adopting a rottweiler puppy. He is going to need a lot of attention. He is going to need patience and accountability. He doesn’t understand accountability; he sees it as a one-way street. He is accountable for predicting and appeasing the whims of others, while they owe him nothing. He is brash, but his self-esteem is in tatters. He is terrified of rejection. He needs a lot more than a few trips to subspace to overcome these things.”

“I’ve insisted that he seek counseling,” Sasuke said, somewhat defensively.

“I’ll be happy to see him here, and I’ll even give him a discount,” Anko said. “You need to understand what’s at stake here for him, though. You’ve never taken a sub. This will be different from mentoring a sub for a few weeks.”

“I understand that.”

Anko looked at him thoughtfully. “I suggest that you seek out counseling of your own. Dealing with a fragile young person can be difficult and confusing, especially if lines are blurred concerning your role in his life. If you’re really committed to being his dom, you owe it to both parties to be very clear headed about things.”

“Understood.” Sasuke’s misgivings swirled through his mind.

“Naruto has a fragile sense of self—unsurprising, given his childhood. This sort of relationship could heal a lot for him. It could also seriously damage him. He needs to be steered towards understanding who he is and what he needs,” Anko said somewhat sternly.

Sasuke tilted his head back and let out a long, tired sigh. “I get it. Thank you, Anko. When can you see him again?”

Anko pulled up her schedule on her computer. “I can see him again in two weeks. I recommend that he see me every two weeks.”

“Then schedule him at your earliest time. Bill me for his care.”

Anko raised one brow. “You know my rates aren’t cheap.”

“And you know I’m not struggling,” Sasuke snapped.

“You do understand you are not privy to our discussions?” Anko fixed him with a harsh stare.

“I would not expect to be,” he replied.

“This is a lot to go through for a sub under consideration.”

“As you said, accountability is a two-way street.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not at all saying that every new sub needs a detailed psychological analysis before entering into a relationship. This kid, for this particular story, is clearly troubled, though. And what if, in the novels that are so popular (Not just 50 Shades, but lots of others, as well), the more dominant, wealthy character actually invested some of their funds into seeing to the other person's mental and physical well-being, and not just showering lavish gifts upon them to sweeten the deal?
> 
> Not gonna explain scat and rainbow if y'all don't know what that means. Google is your friend. Just know that I don't describe it for reasons. If you enjoy those things, more power to you, be safe. As a wise man once said, "It's not my bag, baby."
> 
> Next chapter shows some playful times.


	4. Take It to the Limit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto has no idea what his limits are. Fortunately, Sasuke is there to help him find them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW/CW: child sex abuse mentioned obliquely

Sasuke was taking a breather in the ER; he had another two hours before his shift ended. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Naruto: _Just ate breakfast_

Sasuke smiled to himself.

**What did you eat?**

Naruto: _An egg with cheese and some toast._

**Good boy. Did you clean up behind yourself?**

Naruto _: Yes, Sir._

**Good. Have a good day. Check in after lunch.**

Naruto _: Yes Sir._

Sasuke smiled ruefully. Naruto, he had discovered, subsisted on nothing but cup ramen and caffeine. Sasuke had taken him grocery shopping on the day of his appointments, and his refrigerator was now stocked with fresh vegetables, fruit, and healthy cuts of meat.

“Look at you,” Sakura crooned, coming to stand beside him. “Hard-ass Sasuke with heart-eyes. I thought I’d never see the day. Who’s the lucky guy?”

Sasuke scowled. He didn’t have affectionate feelings for Naruto, and he certainly didn’t have heart-eyes. “Go away,” he said coldly.

“Looks like I touched a nerve,” she said in a sing-song voice.

“You are so annoying,” Sasuke said. She just smirked and winked.

In the week since Naruto’s collaring, he proved to be an obedient, if mouthy, sub. He also proved to be needy. He wanted play time and affirmation constantly. He was not above disobeying just to receive a punishment, and he always craved spankings or painful disciplinary actions. Sasuke knew he would have to train him to seek out pain less obtusely. Naruto pouted when Sasuke made him write lines for failing to eat lunch one day. Sasuke simply smirked and given him more lines.

So far, Sasuke had refrained from physical punishments. He wanted, instead, to test Naruto’s boundaries, to demonstrate the importance of trust, and to reiterate the need for clear communication.

The first opportunities for those lessons arose early on. It was four o’clock in the morning when Sasuke received a distressed text.

_Sir may I please cum_

He had not felt his phone vibrate, as he had been with a patient. Naruto had then panicked and sent a barrage of texts.

_Sir please may I cum_

_Please sir_

_Dr Uchiha please let me cum Im desprit._

_Dr Uchiha!!!_

_I need a punishment :(_

Sasuke laughed aloud, causing both Neji and one of the nurses to jump.

“Uchiha laughing,” Neji intoned. “Did you just watch somebody pull the wings off a butterfly?”

“Shut it, Hyuuga.”

**Be ready for your punishment before you go to work,** Sasuke texted.

**I’ll be there as soon as my shift is finished. Be in position.**

_Yes Sir_

Sasuke grinned to himself. It had been a long time since he had looked forward to punishing someone. The sight that met Sasuke that morning in Naruto’s apartment almost undid him. Naruto knelt, as Sasuke had taught him, with his hands behind his back and his knees spread. He was shirtless, wearing only Sasuke’s collar on his upper body, and the sight was so _pretty_ that Sasuke had to will his cock to remain flaccid.

He walked over to Naruto after closing the door and stood in front of him. For a moment, he said nothing. He watched as the hairs prickled up over Naruto’s (tanned, flawless) skin.

“So you couldn’t control your orgasm,” he sneered.

“No, Sir. I’m sorry, Sir.” Naruto trembled slightly, and Sasuke wondered if it was from fear or excitement.

“It looks like you’re a needy boy with no self-control.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Sasuke tapped Naruto’s cheek just harshly enough to leave a slight red mark behind.

“Say it, boy,” he said. “Tell me that you’re a needy boy with no self-control.”

“I’m… a needy boy… with no…”

“Say it.”

“I’m a need boy with no self-control!” Naruto muttered.

“At least you can admit to it,” Sasuke said airily. “Are you ready for your punishment?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“That’s _Master_ ,’ to you,” Sasuke said, wrapping Naruto’s hair in his hands and pulling his face up to look at him.

The cloud of conflicting emotions in Naruto’s blue eyes made Sasuke swallow. “Yes, Master,” Naruto said meekly.

Sasuke pulled him up by his hair and walked him to the sole chair in the apartment. Sasuke sat. “Over my knee,” he barked.

Naruto jumped and looked frightened. Sasuke recalled what Anko had told him about Naruto possibly having PTSD; they were still waiting on a psychiatrist’s visit. He warred with himself, then reasoned that he would stop if Naruto were truly triggered.

Naruto obediently draped himself over Sasuke’s knees. Something stirred in Sasuke, reminiscent of the first time he had accepted that he was a dom and a sadist. It was like falling in love all over again with this lifestyle.

He debated his next step silently. His desires won out over his doubts. “That will be 20 swats,” he told Naruto. “You are to count them. Should you miscount, you will start again at the beginning. The correct way to count is, “one, Master, two, Master.” Do you understand?”

“Yes, Master,” Naruto said tremulously.

Sasuke pulled Naruto’s boxers down beneath his (firm, round) buttocks. Naruto stilled and caught his breath. Sasuke rubbed over the smooth skin before bringing his hand down lightly over the left cheek.

“One, Master,” Naruto said with a jump.

Sasuke again rubbed over the flesh he had just slapped. He brought his hand up and down again, in more or less the same spot; the swat was still light, but Naruto would feel it more since it was repeated over the same area.

“Two, Master,” Naruto said.

They proceeded this way from there on, with Sasuke coming down harder with every third stroke. By the time they had reached fifteen, Naruto was squirming in his lap. At 16, Naruto miscounted.

"F-fifteen, Master!"

Sasuke was not prepared for his own response to disciplining Naruto. It was not as if he had never been sexually aroused when punishing someone or demanding their obedience; this time, though, he had pulled Naruto into his own space, and the pressure against his cock was causing him a conundrum.

Naruto’s ass was pink by the time they reached 15 the second time. His breaths came out in little staccato puffs, and, like Sasuke, he definitely had an erection. Unlike Sasuke, Naruto’s hard-on was quite obvious to the other party. This only inflamed Sasuke more, and he groaned internally.

By the time they reached 20, Naruto was sniffling and sobbing through the count. Sasuke was surprised; Naruto had taken Hidan’s whip without a word. For a moment, Sasuke allowed him to collect himself. He lay, draped over Sasuke’s knees, whimpering and crying as Sasuke massaged the reddened flesh.

“M… m.. Master…” Naruto sniffled.

“What is it?” Sasuke snapped.

“I… I…”

“Spit it out.”

“M.. may I please m..m… … can I please c-c-cum?”

The query wasn’t altogether surprising. Naruto’s cock was throbbing against Sasuke’s leg. Sasuke was now at a crossroads. He reasoned that it was not a sexual relationship if Naruto got himself off. After all, Sasuke had watched numerous subs cum spontaneously during scenes.

“You may,” he said. “On your knees.”

Naruto’s legs shook as he took the position. He pulled his cock out of his boxers. He gripped it tightly with his right hand, and fondled his balls with the left. He stroked long and hard, until his cock reddened to an almost painful-looking degree. Sasuke’s mouth went dry.

“ _Cum_ , Naruto,” Sasuke commanded. “Cum right now.”

With a grunt and a soft cry, Naruto came. One, two, three thick ribbons of spunk arched over his hand and fell to the floor.

“Clean that up,” Sasuke demanded as Naruto began to come down from his orgasm. He walked to the kitchen and dug in the freezer for ice. He placed some into two separate plastic bags, one of which he tossed one at Naruto as he walked back into the living space. “For the sting,” he said.

He hurriedly closed himself into Naruto’s bathroom and pressed the second bag to the front of his underwear. Seeing Naruto get himself off, his tear-stained face contorted in ecstasy, was taking a toll on Sasuke’s own precarious self-control. He finally managed to shame his errant cock into an acceptably flaccid state. He walked out and found Naruto curled up in a fetal position, sobbing on the futon.

“What’s happening?” he demanded sharply. He strode over to the flimsy little bed and sat down. “Naruto. Talk to me.”

“I don’t know,” Naruto said pitifully. “I just can’t stop crying.”

Sub drop, Sasuke had seen. This was not that. He watched, stunned and frozen, as Naruto continued to weep. A leviathan was arising from the deep, and Sasuke was unsure of how to handle it. He considered all Anko had told him: that Naruto suffered from past trauma, that he feared rejection, that he regarded accountability as a one-way street…

He rubbed his hands through Naruto’s hair “It’s OK,” he murmured. “It’s going to be all right.”

“I can’t do anything right!” Naruto moaned.

“That’s not true.”

“I couldn’t keep my rule,” he cried.

Was that what this was about? Shame over breaking a rule designed to be broken?

“You took your consequence for that,” Sasuke told him.

“I’m sorry, Master. I’m a disappointment. I’ll give you back your collar…”

Sasuke reached down and lifted Naruto’s face roughly. “Did I say you were a disappointment, submissive?”  
  


“No, Sir.”

“You’re a disappointment when I say you’re a disappointment, and not until then,” Sasuke said sharply.

Naruto looked at him doubtfully. “You mean it?” he asked, his voice childlike and fragile.

“That’s, “Do you mean it, " _Master,”_ to you,” Sasuke corrected.

Naruto grinned through his tears. “Do you mean it, Master?”

“Do you doubt me, boy?” Sasuke asked harshly. He was secretly relieved to see Naruto smile again.

“No, Master.”

“You’d better not.”

Sasuke instructed Naruto to call in sick to work; after the intense response he had to a simple spanking—especially after the extremes Sasuke had seen him go to before—he did not feel safe about him being among people who did not understand him on some level.

Sasuke was having entirely too much fun.

**Has it arrived?** He texted.

Naruto: _…_

………

_Yes_

**Yes, what?**

Naruto _: …_

_Yes Master_

**I want photos.**

A few seconds later, a multimedia message arrived. Sasuke smirked.

**No, I want photos of it _on._ **

Naruto _: …._

_Do I have to?_

**What do you think?  
**

…

_Yes Sir_

It took longer for the next photos to arrive. Naruto scowled into the phone, a lace cap perched atop his unruly hair. The French maid’s outfit was perfectly fitted—as Sasuke had known it would be. The stockings stretched over Naruto’s well-toned, masculine legs, and the black pumps really made his calf muscles stand out.

Sasuke laughed, earning him a quizzical look from Neji and Sakura in the cafeteria.

**Panties.**

_Oh man you mean it?_

**Are you questioning me?**

_No Sir_

**Good. I’d hate to think of what I’d have to do if you were.**

He could almost hear Naruto’s pout. He could certainly imagine it. It was another several moments before he received the first message. He almost choked when he opened it.

He was aware of Neji and Sakura staring, so he hurriedly stalked outside. He magnified the view. The white, ruffled panties did nothing to conceal the outline of Naruto’s huge cock, and the tip pointed up out of the waistband.

_This is not a sexual relationship, this is not a sexual relationship, this is not a sexual relationship,_ he repeated to himself over and over.

The refrain did not mean that he could resist typing,

**Good. Now from the back.**

He was quite certain he heard Naruto’s shriek from across town. Still, within fewer than five minutes, the next photo arrived. In this one, Naruto looked over his shoulder in his full-length mirror, using his phone to capture the reflection. He lifted the skirt with one hand, revealing his two bare, firm cheeks—which still bore the faint outlines of Sasuke’s hand—as he scowled and pouted into the mirror.

Sasuke’s mouth went dry. He had never in his life been turned on by feminization or cross-dressing. There were many, _many_ members of the club who loved it, and he had been exposed to it numerous times over the course of his years in the lifestyle. Never, though, had it enticed him. He had always enjoyed the smell and feel of leatheron his partners.

_Naruto isn’t my partner,_ he reminded himself.

The next night, Sasuke reclined comfortably in his favorite chair. Naruto was dressed, once again, in the custom-order French maid uniform. This time, though, he was on his hands and knees, polishing the hardwood baseboards of Sasuke’s loft. He had already conditioned all the leather whips and crops in Sasuke’s playroom (not that there was any need; they had all been recently purchased and had never been used). Sasuke felt more than a little bit gleeful about Naruto’s discomfort.

He _had_ checked off feminization and cross-dressing as “mildly interesting” on his inventory. If he wasn’t going to tell Sasuke what he actually wanted, Sasuke was going to exploit it to the nth. Even if it had his trousers incredibly tight around his crotch, even if he had to ice his erection down later and masturbate like crazy once Naruto went home.

He had no idea why the feminine clothes turned him on so much in this instance. His insistence upon Naruto coming to clean in his special garb served to teach Naruto a lesson about setting boundaries, but it also provided Sasuke a means of torturing himself as he analyzed his new-found kink.

Was it, he pondered as Naruto leaned forward to scrub, limited to Naruto? Or was it a shift towards cross-dressing, in general? Was it the feminine clothing, or was it the way it revealed Naruto’s phenomenal build? Was it that Naruto hated it, and he enjoyed tormenting him?

_Was it all of those things?_

The way the silk stockings clung to his muscular legs, making the light catch on the contours… the way the dress, so frilly and tight, clung to a well-worked, masculine torso… the ruffled panties showcasing the most beautiful ass Sasuke had ever seen…

Whatever the allure of it, it _did things_ to Sasuke, things that very much went against his own stipulations.

“What’s wrong, sub?” Sasuke taunted from his chair, tormenting Naruto and himself at once. “You don’t seem happy to serve me.”

Naruto attempted to arrange his features into a smile. All he accomplished was making himself look slightly deranged. “I’m _very_ happy to serve you, Master.”

“You should be,” Sasuke continued to goad, feeling very self-satisfied. “I ordered that uniform just for you. Doesn’t it make you feel pretty?”

“Yes, _Master,_ I feel very _pretty,”_ Naruto all but spat.

“I don’t like insolent maids,” Sasuke teased. “Watch your tone.”

“Insulin?” Naruto asked, bewildered. “What does that mean?” He quickly corrected himself. “What does ‘insulin maid’ mean, Master?”

“ _Insolent_ ,” Sasuke repeated, “not insulin. It means smart-mouthed. Like a maid that doesn’t know her place.”

He grinned as Naruto’s face went red. He knew he was seething about being called “her.”

_This will teach the little brat to say what he really means,_ Sasuke thought.

“You missed a spot,” he said lazily. Naruto shot him a dirty look, but he attacked the nonexistent spot furiously.

Later, Sasuke ordered Naruto to make his tea, to his exacting specifications, and then ordered him to kneel and allow Sasuke to prop his feet up on his back as he drank it. He relished his power when Naruto shifted slightly.

“Footstools are not meant to move, girl,” Sasuke snapped.

“I’m not a…” Naruto started. He thought better of back-talking Sasuke. “Yes, Sir.”

“Your uniform is quite fetching. I believe you should wear it to the club the next time we attend,” Sasuke teased.

Naruto squirmed involuntarily, then looked up at Sasuke with frustration and fear in his eyes. “S-sorry, Master!” he squeaked.

Sasuke glared at Naruto as if he were truly angry. “What did I tell you? Footstools don’t move. They don’t talk, either. So many infractions in so few minutes…” He nudged Naruto’s side with his toe. “I think someone needs a spanking.”

Naruto let out a tiny whine. Sasuke disregarded it. He was not trying to teach Naruto absolute obedience: more and more, he was finding that he, as a Dom, did not really crave that kind of obeisance. The lesson he wanted Naruto to learn was far more important, in his opinion, with far more important ramifications.

He hauled Naruto over his upper thighs and lifted his skirt. He had to refrain from voicing his appreciation of the ravishing sight in front of him. Naruto’s ass was a thing of perfect beauty, enough to make Sasuke rethink his avowed atheism.

He summoned the vivid memory of him draped across the sawhorse, dazed and bloodied. It had the immediate effect of softening his highly-interested cock and sobering his mind. Naruto had to be trained out of that suicidal mindset, and Sasuke would see to it that he was, no matter how much effort it took.

He placed his hand over the swell of Naruto’s ass just to reassure him a little. “It’s 30 strokes this time, and you’re to count every single one. Do I have to remind you what happens if you forget to count or if you miscount?” he asked.

“No, Sir,” Naruto said, sounding both slightly resentful and nervous.

Sasuke brought his hand down gently. He enjoyed allowing the pain to gradually build by repetitive insult to the skin, as opposed to harsh, stinging blows that hurt because of their individual force.

Naruto forgot to count at 18. He began to sniffle, and they began the process again, Sasuke continuing with his light, precise smacks. The skin of his ass was beginning to redden nicely.

By the time they reached 15 the next time, Naruto wept openly. Sasuke continued until he had finished the 30 plus licks, then sat still as Naruto cried and shook over his legs. He frowned. His ass was definitely red, but it wasn’t dramatic; there were no petechiae, no purple bruises.

“I’m going to get an ice pack,” Sasuke told him. “Lie down on the sofa and wait for me.”

Naruto nodded, unable to answer verbally. Sasuke gently nudged him up and helped him to the sofa. He covered him with a throw and walked to the kitchen deep in thought.

Naruto’s tears after his first spanking had been due to fear of rejection, Sasuke had thought, or self-disappointment. Was that at play here, too? Had Sasuke teased him too much? He had not meant it; it was fun to make Naruto pout and to test his boundaries, which he hoped he would soon assert. There had been absolutely no heat or disappointment behind it.

Naruto was curled under the blanket, still sniffling, when Sasuke came back with the ice pack. He sat down at Naruto’s head and lifted the blanket, then placed the ice pack over the reddened cheeks. He absentmindedly stroked the messy, blond hair.

“You took your punishment properly,” he said.

Naruto said nothing. He tensed and shook his head ‘no.’

“Why do you think you did poorly?” Sasuke inquired.

“I complained,” Naruto said, his voice hoarse after crying.

“I don’t remember you complaining.”

Naruto shook, and Sasuke stroked his hair, With any other submissive, Sasuke would have continued to push until they came clean about their limits. He was beginning to comprehend that Naruto might not understand, himself, and might not understand how to voice them without it being teased and prompted out of him.

“I noticed you seemed unhappy when I remarked about your uniform or called you ‘her,’” he noted. “Is that why you felt as if you’d complained? Because it’s something that you don’t enjoy?”

Naruto stared at him as if he could read the correct answer to Sasuke’s question in his face.

“Don’t think of what I want to hear, Naruto. Speak for yourself. Speak _truthfully.”_

“It’s embarrassing,” Naruto choked out. “I felt like less than a man. It was humiliating.”

“Hm,” Sasuke said. “You indicated on your surveys that you had a mild interest in both humiliation and feminization.”

Naruto looked down guiltily. Sasuke lifted his chin with his fingers. “Look at me,” he demanded. “Look me in the eye.”

Naruto forced himself to look into Sasuke’s eyes.

“Tell me, now, Naruto, whether this is a limit of yours or not. If it’s not a limit, I will keep pushing it,” Sasuke told him sternly. “As your Master, I expect honesty.”

He wondered why he had never phrased it this way before, because Naruto immediately straightened his back and took a deep, resolute breath.

“I don’t like being humiliated or being dressed as a woman or being called ‘her,’ Master,” he said.

"Is that a hard limit, or a soft one?"

Naruto again looked nervous, but he stuck his chin out and crossed his arms. "Hard limit."

“Very good. I’m _proud_ of you, Kurama,” he said, using the club name they had come up with for Naruto. “I want you to always be this honest with me.”

Naruto smiled shyly and burrowed against Sasuke. It was suddenly heartbreaking, how much Sasuke wanted to hold him. He had never wanted to do that with a submissive before… .

There was still more to discuss, though. There were too many demons they needed to confront, and they needed to start tonight.

“Why were you crying?” Sasuke asked. “You barely cried in the ER when I irrigated your burn. You didn’t cry the night that moron flogged you half to death. This is the second time you’ve cried and needed coddling after a relatively mild spanking.”

He immediately chastised himself for his choice of words; whatever Naruto needed, it wasn’t _coddling_.

Naruto lay inert against him. He said nothing, but Sasuke trusted he would find the words.

“It brings back bad memories,” Naruto said. His voice was high-pitched and frail.

“I see,” Sasuke told him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Naruto hid his face.

“I don’t want to trigger you in the future,” Sasuke said. "I need you to talk about it."

“I don’t want to tell you,” Naruto whined. Sasuke felt wetness against his shirt where Naruto was snuggled.

“Many of us in the lifestyle have triggers. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Naruto sniffled and curled up tighter against Sasuke. “My foster dad,” he began, “the one I had when I was eight or nine. He…”

Sasuke did not prod. He placed his hand gently but solidly against Naruto’s upper back.

“He used to hate me. When he’d spank me… he did it in front of everybody. He just pulled down my pants so everybody could see my ass, and he’d beat the hell out of me,” Naruto croaked.

Sasuke was flooded with anger. He had his own traumas, he could not deny that; therapy had helped him deal with a lot of them. Kakashi had helped him deal with a lot of them. No one, though, had ever subjected him to that kind of humiliation.

“And later…” Naruto went on, “he… did... _stuff_. After he spanked me. Did… touched... And when you bend me over… it’s like that… but I still get hard, and I don’t know why, and I feel so gross…” Naruto let out a choked sob and quaked.

Sasuke took a deep, steadying breath and reached into his psyche for his ER doctor’s mental cloak. He felt too many things that were dangerous for him to feel, dangerous for both him and Naruto. Naruto needed him to be steady and reliable right now, not guilty or enraged.

“Thank you for telling me that,” he said earnestly. Naruto looked up at him. His face was streaked with tears, his nose red, his eyes wet. Sasuke cupped his face with one hand.

“You are anything but gross. You were very brave to tell me that. I will never spank you that way again.”

Naruto blinked several times. “You don’t hate me?”

Sasuke frowned. “Why would I hate you? Because someone hurt you as a child, or because you have triggers and limits? I’ve been trying to tell you that limits are healthy and good.”

“I thought… I thought… you’d get rid of me. Y’know. ‘Cause I couldn’t take a little spanking,” Naruto said.

“We all have limits,” Sasuke reminded him. “I had to learn how to set mine, and I still do. There were things I learned I could not do back when I bottomed. There are things, now, I can’t do as a top. My mind does not allow me to enjoy some things. That’s a fact of life for everyone, whether they’re lifestyle or not. I will _never_ take my collar back because you have a limit. I might if you don’t communicate your limits.”

“Thank you, Master,” Naruto whispered. He stared adoringly at Sasuke.

Sasuke just about lost his mind.

“Don’t forget it, boy,” he said gruffly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, in this context, feminization and cross-dressing are not part of transitioning, they aren't part of more broadly gendering Naruto as a woman. This is a commonly practiced fetish, and most men who enjoy it identify as men.
> 
> Sasuke uses it here as a tamer method of pushing Naruto and getting him to acknowledge what he is and isn't comfortable with. (originally, this scene was a lot heavier and darker, but I didn't feel like going in that direction)
> 
> Things went too far. Naruto was triggered--and I do mean triggered--by being spanked on his bare bottom with Sasuke's bare hand. Things can and do go too far irl, too, even when people are careful. What's important, afterwards, is that all parties stay checked in and respectful. 
> 
> Also--Lycka, more bizarrely-named "French" things from Americans! LOL!


	5. Earning His Wings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new era begins in Sasuke's relationship with his submissive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> needle play mentioned, in case that makes you squeamish.

The barrier between them gradually budged after the spanking. Naruto and Sasuke spent an entire week with no play at all, only discussions about hard limits and soft limits. They revisited Naruto’s surveys. He admitted that he was not at all interested in scat; when rainbow play was explained to him, he quickly decided that this was a hard limit, too.

He told Sasuke that he wouldn’t shut the door on cross-dressing, but wanted to wait a while before being made to try it again.

Sasuke explained to him that his dilemma of feeling both humiliated and aroused was common, normal, and nothing to be ashamed of. He told Naruto that the window was always there to explore them again if he wanted to do so in a safe and controlled way, while promising he would not force the issue before Naruto was ready.

Naruto seemed surprised that he exercised that kind of control in their relationship. “I told you already,” Sasuke explained. “It’s about trust. I will push your boundaries, but I will never violate them.”

Three weeks later, they celebrated.

“This is a training collar,” Sasuke said, as he clasped a black, braided leather choker around Naruto’s neck. “At the club, I will expect my dog tags to hang from this. In your vanilla life, I expect it to be plain. Do you understand me?”  
  


“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said. His eyes shone with pride and excitement as he knelt.

“You’re the first person to earn anything other than a play collar from me,” Sasuke reminded him. “This collar signifies that I trust you enough to embark upon a tighter training regime. It takes a strong person to submit to me. Let this collar remind you of that.”

“Yes, Master. Thank you, Sir,” Naruto said. The honorifics were becoming easier for him to remember, now.

Sasuke had not intended to imbue the new collar with any kind of ceremony. He hadn’t even intended to give Naruto another collar, to begin with. Sasuke saw in Naruto the honesty and directness he had lacked in the beginning, though. He no longer wanted to torment the self-destructive submission out of the boy; he wanted to teach him how much he could enjoy submitting to the right person.

They went to the club immediately after Sasuke bestowed his training collar upon him. Naruto was dressed beautifully in skin-tight, black vinyl jeans, a royal-blue silk shirt opened down to his sternum, and Sasuke’s collar around his neck with his dog tags dangling for all to see. Sasuke loved dressing him up and showing him off—not as an object for others to see, but as an extraordinary person that Naruto, himself, could take pride in.

When they arrived, Sasuke had to go and attend to dungeon monitor duties. “Can I trust you to behave?” Sasuke asked him. Naruto nodded and grinned cheekily.

“Yes, Sir, Master!” he said.

“Good boy, Kurama,” Sasuke said with a smirk. He gripped Naruto’s hair and pulled him closer to whisper into his ear. “Most of the people here are good, have been vetted by the club, and are known to be responsible. Some aren't. Remember whose collar you’re wearing.” He tugged Naruto’s hair sharply then released him.

Naruto shuddered, and when he turned to look at him, Sasuke noticed that his pupils were dilated.

_Oh, fuck._

Naruto was going to be the author of Sasuke’s demise, one excruciating case of blue balls at a time.

“Yes, Master,” he said.

Sasuke turned and made his way up to the mezzanine where Kakashi watched over the goings-on.

“Raven,” he acknowledged with a nod of his head.

“Kakashi,” Sasuke responded. “How’s it going so far?”

Kakashi shrugged. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, between his heavily lidded eyes and his ever-present face mask. It had driven Sasuke crazy when he was younger. Sasuke smiled as he remembered all the bratty tactics he had employed to get a response from him.

“Akatsuki got rid of Hidan,” Kakashi told him. “They’ve been given strict orders about future behavior.”

“Took them long enough,” Sasuke scoffed.

“They don’t share our values.”

“No. We’d never have allowed a psychopath like Hidan to wield a whip.”

“Hm. No. I made sure security took his away from him that night. We’ll see if he worms his way back into Akatsuki. Either way, he’s no longer welcome here,” Kakashi said. “Neither is Kakuzu. Akatsuki itself is on probation.”

“Thanks,” Sasuke said.

“Speaking of Hidan, and whips, and that night… I never thought I would see the day you’d collar a sub for more than a few days,” Kakashi said. His eyes actually twinkled.

Sasuke glowered at him. “Well, I did.”

“No criticisms,” Kakashi said, holding up his hands. “How’s he taking to his training?”

Sasuke looked around. Down below them, he could see Naruto chatting with a cluster of other subs, making them all laugh as he animatedly gestured through a story.

“He’s doing well. I never thought I’d say that. He is learning how to set limits, which was a serious problem at the beginning,” he said.

“Good, good,” Kakashi said. “That is important. He’s a tough kid. What happened with Hidan could have traumatized him, but he seems resilient.”

A knot formed in Sasuke’s throat. “He is,” he agreed. He watched as Naruto threw back his head and guffawed. He could hear his laughter over all the other noise in the dungeon.

“You know, Sasuke, it’s not bad to want something,” Kakashi said. “You don’t have to be a professional all the time. You’re allowed to have feelings.”

Sasuke looked at Kakashi out of the corner of his eyes.

“Oh, no, not the side-eye, how ever will I cope?” Kakashi droned in a flat voice.

Sasuke glowered at him. Kakashi patted his back. “I have to go actually do my job,” he said. “See you around.”

It would soon be time for the demonstrations to begin. Sasuke circulated through the crowds, checking for any impropriety.

He found it soon enough.

A man Sasuke had seen before with Otogakure was standing in front of Naruto with his hand wrapped around Sasuke’s dog tags. Naruto was standing stock still, looking terrified. Sasuke was about to intervene when Naruto stepped back and slapped the man’s hand away.

“That’s not your property,” he said. “Don’t touch it.” His expression changed; he radiated stubborn strength.

The man laughed. “It could be. It’s just a training collar, from what I heard.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t matter,” he said angrily. “It’s not your collar, and it doesn’t have shit to do with you, asshole.”  
  


“Tsk, tsk, such language,” the man laughed.

Sasuke could see the tension escalating. He broke in between the pair. “You know the rules. If you touch another person or their property without their express permission, you will be thrown—take that literally—out of this club.”

The dim lights reflected in the man’s glasses. Tattoos of snake scales adorned the right side of his face. The longer he looked at him, the more Sasuke wanted to physically harm him.

“So touchy, here,” the man said. “Fair enough. But don’t go crying, _Sasuke-kun_ , when your little sub needs a firmer hand than you’re willing to apply.”

Sasuke stared after the man as he strutted off. He turned and looked at Naruto. “Are you all right?” he asked.

“Yeah, that guy just pisses me off,” he grumbled. He looked shaken.

“You did well,” Sasuke told him.

“I did?” Naruto asked in astonishment.

“What did I tell you before, _Kurama?_ I will always support you when you set a boundary.”

Naruto beamed and threw himself against Sasuke. Sasuke startled, but he embraced him.

Scenes had begun in the alcoves, and demonstrations had begun on the main stages. To Sasuke’s relief, most of the attendees, minus the one creepy Otogakure dom who’d harassed Naruto, were on their best behavior that night. That dom had done nothing further after his encounter with Sasuke and Naruto, but Sasuke continued to watch him.

Ino found him a little later as he prowled the mezzanine. She had a drink in her hand, and despite her seeming composure, Sasuke could tell she was bothered.

“Spit it out,” Sasuke directed.

She huffed and rolled her eyes. “The couple that was to do the play piercing demo called it in. I have no one to fill their spot. _A lot_ of people came just for the piercing. We’ve been planning this for months.”

Sasuke looked around the room. Naruto had watched all the demonstrations up to that point, and was now shiftlessly drifting through the crowd. “I might have a solution,” he told her.

He left before Ino could question him.

Downstairs, he cornered Naruto at the buffet. The happy, trusting look his submissive gave him sent a jolt of pure electricity through him.

Sasuke took him by the arm and led him to a less-populated corner of the room. He leaned into Naruto, pleased at the way the boy shuddered at his nearness. “Is play piercing still something you’re ‘strongly interested’ in?”

Naruto nodded happily. “Yes, Sir!” he affirmed.

“Would you like to demonstrate it with me?”

“Yes, Master!” Naruto said, bouncing on the balls of his feet like a child about to meet Santa.

“Good. Come with me.” Sasuke took him by the hand without thinking about it and led him upstairs where Ino was waiting.

“I have your piercing demonstration locked down,” Sasuke told her.

She looked at him in astonishment. “What? How the hell, Raven?” She then looked down, where Sasuke’s hand was linked to Naruto’s, and grinned suggestively.

Sasuke ignored her pointed glance, even though it made him painfully aware of Naruto and the intimate connection of their hands. They’d never held hands before, even after the incident with Hidan. “Are your feathers still here?” he asked her.

“Yes!” she cried. “I’ll go get them. Do you have everything you need otherwise?”

“Make sure to get me a good stool for this one,” he said, gesturing towards Naruto. “Hm, never mind. Get me one of the crosses and have it set up on the stage.”

“Ooh, dramatic,” she said. She winked and flounced off to make Sai and Sakura do her bidding.

“This is what’s going to happen,” he told Naruto, “you will be bound. You will be pierced with sterile needles.”

He thought Naruto would explode from excitement.

“Tonight, you will literally earn your wings.” He smirked as Naruto tried to comprehend what he meant.

He gripped Naruto’s chin harshly. “Do _not_ forget that you are still obligated to state your limits. That includes using your safe word should you need it, either mentally or physically. Do I make myself clear, boy?”

Naruto’s eyes glazed over and his breath hitched at the thrill of being commanded. “Yes, Master,” he said breathlessly.

“Good boy. Remember our rules; it’s not about you demonstrating how much you can take, it’s about the trust between us,” Sasuke told him. “Remember the safeword?”

“Cinderella,” Naruto said with a grin.

Sasuke took him to the alcove nearest the stage. Sakura brought him his toy bag and medical kit. He took out a set of black leather cuffs lined with red-dyed lambswool. He fastened them around Naruto’s wrists and ankles, then, with Naruto’s arms in front of him, he linked the wrist cuffs together. His senses were heightened in anticipation; having an audience only intensified it.

Naruto said nothing, but Sasuke could tell he was thrumming with expectancy. Sasuke knew his sub could tolerate much more painful stimuli, but tonight, he wanted to show him something different. He also wanted to show him off.

The crowd hushed when the heavy, free-standing saltire cross was rolled onto the stage and stabilized. The lights were dimmed throughout the club, while the lights over the stage were brightened. Sasuke shook his head, amused at Ino’s theatrical maneuvers.

“Are you ready to give them a show?” he asked Naruto.

“Yes, Sir!” Naruto answered with alacrity.

“Good. Wait for me here.” Sasuke walked out the stage with his medical bag.

Sai rolled a metal tray, similar to one found in a dentist’s office, onto the stage. Sasuke gestured where he wanted the tray placed. He spread a paper bib over the tray, then began laying out his tools. He removed about fifty fine-gauge hypodermic needles with hubs, still in their sterile wrapping. He then laid out a sterile surgical scrub kit, a surgical skin marker, and a Hitachi wand. He plugged this into an outlet on the floor beneath the tray.

He went to the alcove behind the stage and brought Naruto out to the stage, his hands bound and his head bowed demurely. Cheers and whistles went through the crowd. Almost everyone in the club was watching raptly; few people gathered in the alcoves for private play.

Sasuke turned Naruto to face the audience, then slowly, from behind, unbuttoned his blue silk shirt. He slid it off of one shoulder, then the other. He released his wrist cuffs and slipped the garment off of his arms. He handed the shirt to Sakura, who joined him on the stage. More cheers erupted. Sasuke grinned somewhat possessively. Naruto had been, under Sasuke’s direction, going to the gym regularly and doing both resistance and flexibility training. Under the lights, his ripped physique was displayed for all to admire.

He turned the sub around and led him to the saltire. With Naruto facing the cross, Sasuke raised Naruto’s arms and fastened the cuffs to the upper arms of the x-shape. Then he knelt and fastened Naruto’s ankles to rings on the outer edges of the cross.

Naruto’s upper body had been honed by both his demanding work and his regular fitness regimen. His torso tapered from the broad, well-defined shoulders to his surprisingly tight, narrow waist. His skin was golden-brown and healthy, and Sasuke knew that more than one person would be asking his permission to play with the beautiful man he currently had bound to a St. Andrew’s Cross.

“Kurama is new to piercing,” Sasuke explained to the audience. “I am restraining him as a safeguard for both myself and him. This will keep him from inadvertently flailing if startled and causing me to pierce something I’m not prepared to—such as myself.” Strictly speaking, the restraints were a superfluous flourish.

He stood back and admired the raw eroticism of the sight. He was aware of Sai photographing Naruto; he would request copies of those photos later.

He leaned in close to Naruto’s ear. “Are you OK?” Naruto nodded.

“Yes, Sir,” he whispered softly. Sasuke knew what effect Naruto’s display of trust and obedience would have on the dom/mes in the audience, and it sent a frisson of pride and lust through his body.

He made a show of slowly putting on a pair of latex gloves, allowing the anticipation to build for the audience.

“Piercing is a form of blood play,” he said. “Universal precaution is therefore necessary, including gloves for the top.”

“I will now mark a design onto Kurama’s back with a surgical skin marker. Should you need to mark your sub’s skin, this is a safe and useful alternative to permanent markers,” he explained. Once again, he leaned near Naruto’s face. “Still good?”

“Yes, Master,” Naruto murmured.

“Good boy,” Sasuke whispered back. He uncapped the pen and drew an arch that peaked at the top of his spine and tapered down to his lower back. “This,” he explained to the audience, gesturing at Naruto’s back, “will help me hew to a symmetrical design as I pierce.”

He proceeded to draw two more arches inside of the first. He had been careful to avoid the tender skin where Naruto had been branded; it still suffered from hypersensitivity in some spots and numbness in others, both of which posed a hazard with this kind of play. He rolled his gloves off and put on a new pair.

He washed Naruto’s skin and disinfected it in two stages, just as he would for a surgical procedure.

“The skin is the human body’s largest organ,” he explained, “and it’s our first defense against pathogens. As such, we take care of the bottoms who entrust themselves to our care by disinfecting any area we intend to pierce.”

Sasuke smeared a faintly bloody-looking iodine solution over Naruto’s back, watching as it yellowed. He would have preferred alcohol, from a strictly sensory perspective; the smell and the cold tingle of it built up the sub’s expectations. Betadine, however, was the best for disinfecting areas intended to be pierced or opened, and Sasuke wanted to be absolutely certain that Naruto was as safe as possible.

He picked up a 25-gauge hypodermic in its sterile blister.

“This,” he told his audience, “is a 25-gauge hypodermic needle with a hub. The hub makes it easier to grip the needle, which means my hand will be steadier as I pierce my sub’s skin. Needles range in size, with the smaller gauges indicating a larger needle. You want to choose a gauge that will be tolerable to your submissive based upon your previous discussions. At the same time, when piercing an area like the back, where the skin is thicker and tougher, you want to choose one that will not bend easily—or worse, break—as you pierce the skin.”

Sakura snapped her own pair of gloves on. Sasuke peeled the needle out of its sterile packing.

“You want to ensure that the bevel, or the pointed side of the needle, is facing up,” he said. He placed the bevel against Naruto’s skin at the top of the inner curve on the right and carefully pinched up the skin where he intended to pierce. “Be sure to enter carefully, and for safest practice, use either a receiving cork or a syringe cap to avoid piercing your own self as the needle exits your sub’s skin.”

Sasuke deftly pierced the skin. Sakura assisted him, tearing the needles out of their wrapping and passing them to him each time he was ready to spear through another portion of Naruto’s skin. He calmed himself as he encountered thicker skin, in those few places where Hidan’s whip had left scar tissue. He was obligated as Naruto’s dom to remain calm and focused, so when he reached those areas, he demanded a thicker needle from Sakura and continued, keeping the memory of how he had received those scars out of mind.

Naruto whimpered and moaned more and more as Sasuke continued. When both of the inner curves were complete, Sasuke checked in with him again, this time turning his face to him. “Is everything OK?” he whispered. He smiled at Naruto’s nearly drunken expression.

“Yes, Master,” Naruto slurred.

“You remember your safe word?”

“Cinderella, Sir.”

Sasuke continued, more carefully focused, now, because of his proximity to the misshapen brand. He began to sweat. He had never been so invested in a sub’s feelings; he supposed this was reasonable, given that he had never collared a sub before. It was still a novel and confusing sensation. Sakura helpfully toweled off his brow.

Naruto’s muscles were tightening and shaking. He had not spent this much time in restraints, and he was bound to ache. Sasuke finished up, feeling both relieved and bereft as he made the last piercing. He stepped back to appreciate his work; he had made each piercing as close to its predecessor as possible, and the result pleased him.

He now cleaned Naruto off with rubbing alcohol, taking delight in his reaction to the sting.

“Now that my sub is pierced,” he said, “I will now show you some of the possibilities for increasing his response to the piercings.” He lifted up the Hitachi. He sanitized it with alcohol and turned it on to the lower setting. “Any kind of vibrating toy can give a pleasant buzz through the needles.”

He touched the vibrator to one of the needles. Naruto shuddered and moaned audibly, making the audience laugh and smile.

“Remember, if you are using a toy on multiple partners, to protect your bottom from any possible contamination. You can do this by sheathing the toy in a condom, or by using separate vibrators for each partner. Always clean it afterwards regardless.”

Like the leather toys at home, the Hitachi was brand new. He found it distasteful to use things on Naruto that had been used on others.

“Another option is an electrical current sent through the needles. Always be certain, if you do that, to ensure that your sub’s skin is dry, with no blood or other fluid exposed to the current.” As he spoke, he set the Hitachi on the higher setting and moved it over the needles clustered over Naruto’s back. Naruto was breathing heavily by this point. When Sasuke checked on him, he was nearly drooling.

“Thank you,” Sasuke told Sakura. Sakura bowed and stepped off the stage with a bag of refuse from the needles and gloves.

“Ino!” Sasuke called. Ino walked up to the stage with a large sheaf wrapped in tissue paper. “This is a final flourish,” he said to the audience.

Ino opened the sheath and handed him a single peacock feather. Sasuke ran it up Naruto’s spine and over his shoulder blades, then his sides; the submissive young man purred pleasingly. Ino gave him another, which he inserted into the hub of the needle at the top of Naruto’s spine. “There are multiple options for decorating play piercings. Beads are another option, as are ribbons and chains. Corset laces are also quite popular.”

Naruto soon possessed a lushly-layered peacock’s fan. Ino winked at Sasuke and sent Sai to fetch a pair of mirrors. Sasuke held one up to Naruto’s face as Ino held another up to his back so he could see his piercings. “Thank you, Master!” he cried happily.

Sasuke smirked at his response. Once again, the crowd cheered and “awwed.” “You did well,” he told Naruto. He knelt and unbuckled his cuffs from the saltire. He suddenly realized that he liked kneeling for Naruto this way—being a dom was, after all, a form of service and devotion, even if it was the sub who offered their obedience.

He then unbuckled his wrists, allowing Naruto to hang on him as he struggled to bring his arms down.

“Be aware of the fact that a sub who has been restrained or has sustained one position for a long time, as Kurama has, can be unsteady on their feet. This is why you see me bracing him—carefully, because he has been pierced.”

He turned Naruto to face the audience. Nearly everyone stood and clapped. Sasuke glowered as he caught sight of the man with the facial tattoos leering at Naruto from behind his spectacles.

“A vital part of any play is appropriate aftercare for your sub or bottom,” Sasuke finished. “I will now ensure that my submissive can rest his muscles, eat, and unwind. This scene is not finished until the needles are removed. I will not be showing that to you tonight. Be sure when you do this in your own dungeon to have a sharps container on hand to dispose of the needles safely. Also be sure to disinfect the site of the piercing once again once the needles are removed. Never reuse needles.”

He led Naruto to one of the offices and sent for food to be brought up for them both. He watched indulgently as Naruto preened in front of the large wall mirror.

“This is the coolest thing ever, Sasuke!” he said. “Thank you, Master, I love it! Can we do this again and again? Can you pierce other parts of me? Can you pierce me permanently?”

Sasuke laughed. “You’re welcome, yes, yes, and maybe.” He looked Naruto over, imagining where he would pierce him the next time. “Where do you want permanent piercings?”

Naruto frowned thoughtfully. “I was thinking about my nipples,” he mused. He thoughtlessly tweaked one, pulling it out as if he were imagining the needle sliding through it. “Maybe my dick.”

Sasuke swallowed hard. _“Kink is sex-adjacent,”_ he had told Naruto before. _“It’s not synonymous.”_

What Sasuke was feeling now, though, was less adjacent and much more synonymous.

“I wanna go back downstairs,” Naruto importuned after sitting for a moment. “I wanna show off my piercings! I’m not feeling subdrop or whatever. My legs have stopped wobbling, too.”

Sasuke sighed. “Fine,” he said. It would allow him some time to shake loose of his traitorous ideas about his sub. He opened the door to find Sakura with their food. “Leave it on the desk,” Sasuke told her. “He wants to show off.”

Sakura laughed pleasantly. “He should show off! He looks marvelous.”

Naruto proved to be quite the celebrity. As was appropriate, dom/mes did not approach him except through Sasuke. There was much praise, and more than one offer of play-dates. Sasuke rejected all of these out of hand; with the exception of Ino, perhaps, he did not know any of them well enough to guarantee Naruto’s safety with them. He was still unsure, also, of Naruto’s ability to state and maintain hard limits in new environments.

_Oh,_ Yeah, _it’s all because of Naruto’s_ safety, he thought to himself sarcastically. He sighed forlornly. He was not ready for an exclusive, sexual relationship, but he could not ignore his growing attraction to Naruto forever. That did not mean that he would not take every opportunity to save himself the irritation of seeing Naruto running off to play with others.

A few dom/mes approached him on behalf of their subs, who wanted to know if they could look at Naruto’s wings and touch them. Sasuke was more than happy to show him off, but he strictly forbade them from touching even the tips of his feathers.

The scale-tattooed man from Oto approached and stretched his hand out as if to brush his fingers over the plumage. Sasuke caught his wrist. “What did I tell you before?” he growled.

The man responded by laughing. “So possessive. Your sub, here, was very tolerant of the piercing. He will bore of that sort of thing soon, though. His kind craves the pain and the blood. You can see it in the way he walks. And if you don’t supply it, you should know that there are plenty of us who will.” He winked at Naruto and walked away.

Sasuke watched him leave, then called Ino over. “That man with the facial tattoos like snake scales,” he said, “the one from Oto…”

“You mean Kabuto?” Ino offered. She frowned slightly.

“Yes, him,” Sasuke said bitterly. “Put security and the other monitors on alert about him. He’s very handsy with things that don’t belong to him.”  
  


Ino raised her eyebrows, shocked at Sasuke’s vehemence. “O… kay? Did he do something that broke the rules?”  
  


“He’s trespassed basic etiquette more than once. He touched my dog tags tonight, and he tried to touch his piercings just now. He did not ask my permission at any time, nor Kurama’s. You know people who disregard those boundaries tend to move on to more harmful infractions,” he said.

Ino sighed. “I can’t argue with that. I’ll talk to security and the other monitors, and I’ll have the doormen let me know when he arrives at future events.”

“Thank you,” Sasuke told her.

“Your sub did well tonight,” she said, winking at Naruto. “The demo was a huge success. Better, even, than it would have been with our original schedule. Everyone loved Kurama’s deference and obedience.”  
  


“They should,” Sasuke said smugly. “He was exemplary.”

Naruto beamed. “Thanks, Miss Ino, thank you, Master!” he said.

“Sai finds him awfully adorable, and so do I,” Ino continued. “Be looking in the mail for a formal play-date invitation.”

“I’ll consider it,” Sasuke said, only slightly less stiffly than he would have to anyone else.

In the privacy of the office once again, Naruto sat as Sasuke removed the needles one by one and disposed of them in a sharps receptacle. Sasuke tenderly cleaned the red, puffy skin. When he was finished, he felt lost. He wanted to keep touching Naruto.

Naruto turned to look at him with his wide, shining eyes. “Did I really do a good job, Master?”

“You did,” Sasuke assured him. “You were obedient and polite, and you stayed checked-in with me.”

Naruto smiled, but tears filled his eyes. “I was afraid I was going to make you mad or do something wrong. I was afraid you’d dump me.”

Sasuke looked at him in shock. “You really thought that?”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said meekly.

“What did I tell you before?” Sasuke asked him.

“That you’d never take the collar off for setting a limit or making a mistake. But you’d take it off if I didn’t set limits appropriately.”

“That’s right,” Sasuke told him. “That will always be the case.”

Naruto frowned and huffed. “I was afraid when that guy touched your collar that you’d be mad.”

“I was,” Sasuke said sternly. “Not at you, though. There is a proper way to deal with people in our lifestyle, regardless of their status, and he did not treat you according to those standards.”

“Oh.”

“Naruto, you are strong. I have never wanted a doormat of a sub. You are allowed and expected to stand up for yourself. That goes for things between us and most especially for things with other people. That man is not special just because he’s a dom or because he came here. If he or anyone else trespasses your boundaries again, I expect you to stand up for yourself in whatever way you feel is best,” Sasuke said.

Naruto began to cry in earnest. “I don’t know why I’m crying!” he said frustratedly. “I was happy about everything, and now, I just…”

Sasuke pulled Naruto against him and wrapped his arms around him. “It’s all right. This happens sometimes. You did well tonight… and I’m so very proud of you.”

Naruto looked up at him, the tears streaking down his face, and before Sasuke could process what he was doing, he had leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Naruto responded warmly, opening his mouth and sliding his tongue over Sasuke’s. He moaned and whined, and the sound made Sasuke’s cock throb. Sasuke tried to remember the last time he had kissed anyone. Was it a year ago? More? He had not initiated any of those kisses. That was not something freely shared, even with lovers.

He didn’t want to stop kissing Naruto, though, and this imperiled their agreement and the boundaries he had lain out for them. He reluctantly pulled back.

“I’m sorry,” he told Naruto sincerely.

“For what?” Naruto asked, bewildered.

“I told you before this would not be a sexual relationship. I… should not have. We’re both coming down from a successful demonstration, and this was… not good judgment on my part. Please forgive me.”

Naruto frowned. “Kisses aren’t sex!” he argued. “They’re… they’re _kisses!_ ”

“Did you, or did you not have sex with the last person you kissed?” Sasuke asked.

“That doesn’t count! Just because you kiss doesn’t mean you gotta… hmph!” He folded his arms across his chest and looked away from Sasuke, literally turning his nose up. “I haven’t had sex with everybody I’ve kissed!”

Sasuke shook his head. “Kisses may feel good,” he said. “That doesn’t mean they’re a good idea.”

Naruto sighed and leaned against him again, but he kept his arms crossed. Sasuke could clearly see that his instinct to fight with him was losing to his desire for warmth. He pulled a luxurious throw over the boy and resigned himself to very _frustrating_ come-downs from future sessions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Naruto gets just a little of the pain he has been craving, and Sasuke gets to show him off. Was it a good idea, given Naruto's relative inexperience? Was it not? What do you think of Sasuke asking his submissive to do something they haven't explored yet in front of others?
> 
> Note--a saltire is another word for a St. Andrew's Cross, which, in this context, has nothing to do whatsoever with saints. 
> 
> "Play piercing" is distinguished from permanent piercings. Play piercing is for play time, for temporary decoration and for the sensation of being needled, and the needles are removed after play. The needles Sasuke uses are relatively fine. People do play with larger needles. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! There will be more bondage and sadism in the next chapter, but it won't be too extreme.


	6. Desideratum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi has a word with Sasuke. Sasuke and Naruto have play time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whips/flogging depicted in this chapter.

Kakashi and Sasuke worked silently and diligently side-by-side. They only spoke when necessary. They did this once a month; “getting on the same page” is what Kakashi called it. “Doing the laundry” was Sasuke’s preferred term. They sorted through the paperwork for the club and quickly took care of any urgent business.

When they each were satisfied that they were done, Kakashi leaned back in his chair and cracked his knuckles. Sasuke smiled wryly. Kakashi had had that same mannerism for as long as Sasuke had known him—going on 14 years.

Kakashi said, “I was thinking it’s been a long time since we had a drink.”

“Hn.”

“Let’s take care of that oversight today,” Kakashi prodded.

Sasuke was exhausted. He had met Kakashi immediately after finishing his shift, and his nerves were frayed. He did not feel like getting a drink. Nevertheless, he accepted Kakashi’s invitation, and they walked to the coffee shop across the street from the club.

Sasuke paid for both coffees, against Kakashi’s protests, and they went to a courtyard in the back of the shop to sit. They were alone, here, having come in between the breakfast and lunch rushes.

Kakashi sipped his coffee nonchalantly. Sasuke leaned his head back and closed his eyes, wishing he could succumb to sleep.

“That show you put on at the club the other night was impressive,” Kakashi said at last.

“Thanks.”

Kakashi’s expression did not change, but Sasuke was aware of his scrutiny.

“That was a risky thing to do with a new submissive,” Kakashi said at last.

Sasuke bristled. He had thought the same thing many times, but hearing it from Kakashi made it rankle.

“You know his history with poor boundaries, his need to please. That could have gone very wrong and set back all the progress you’ve made with him,” his mentor went on.

To this, Sasuke said nothing. There was nothing to say. He had taken a risk, and it had paid off. Had it not? _But what if it hadn’t_ , said a voice in his mind. He made every effort not to consider that.

“How do you think he would have felt if you had been forced to stop?”

“But I wasn’t. Naruto did well, and I was controlled. This game of counterfactuals isn’t helpful,” he finally snapped back.

“Naruto did well, that’s true. But don’t you think it’s always wise to think these things through?” Kakashi argued.

“Fine. I won’t do it in the future,” Sasuke said. “I’ll be sure that we’ve practiced anything we demonstrate publicly.”

“It’s not just that, Sasuke,” Kakashi went on. “You’ve asked this young man to be honest with you, but you’re not really being honest with him.”

Sasuke looked up in disbelief. “What the hell?”

“Does he know you’re falling in love with him?” Once again, Kakashi’s expression never changed. Sasuke stared at him, feeling, for the first time in his life like the cliched deer in the headlights.

“I see you don’t deny it.”

“So what if I am?” Sasuke replied defensively. “I can control myself.”

“I wonder if you can. I know your intentions towards Naruto are benign, but I feel your judgment is cloudy. I think you need to either acknowledge to him your feelings, and allow him to renegotiate the terms of your agreement if he wishes—or take some time apart. Your role in his life is becoming less clearly defined by the day.”

Sasuke picked at the cardboard sleeve on his cup.

“It doesn’t have to be one or the other,” Kakashi said.

“It was with us.”

Kakashi shrugged. “That was us. Whatever you do with this boy, it needs to be clear for everyone involved.”

“I am being careful with him!”

Kakashi shook his head. “I’m more concerned about you.”

Sasuke choked down half of his coffee in one gulp. He tossed the cup into the bin and stood. “See you later,” he told Kakashi, and he left with no further ceremony.

Even though he’d washed up before he’d left the hospital, he went straight to the shower when he got home. As the hot water sprayed over him, Kakashi’s words echoed through his mind. They competed with images of Naruto—Naruto bound to the St. Andrew’s Cross, Naruto kneeling, Naruto’s flesh under his hands. He left the shower only when he began to feel faint from the heat.

He stared at the ceiling when he lay down for bed. It _had_ been a risk to put Naruto in that position. Naruto was such a performer, though, and he had seemed to enjoy the attention as well as the piercing.

When Sasuke thought back to the after-scene discussions, he realized why his offer to demonstrate could have gone so badly wrong. Naruto was still terrified of displeasing him. Not only that, he was convinced that displeasing Sasuke in a scene meant being dropped as his submissive. Sasuke gritted his teeth and ran his hands through his hair.

He had put so much at risk for Naruto with that demonstration, but he had been so sure of himself. Sasuke despised arrogance in a dom. He despised those who saw themselves as god-like masters over their submissives. He had criticized the Gorean lifestyle on that very point. Was he, he wondered, really any different?

Putting distance between himself and Naruto might be the best course, but not just yet. He had scheduled play time with him at the end of the week. He wouldn’t cancel it; Naruto trusted him to keep his word. Sasuke just had to focus harder on separating his feelings from his obligations.

“Are you ready?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto looked up at him and grinned. “Yes, sir!”

He need not have asked—Naruto was not the one who was eaten alive by his nerves, now. He led Naruto into his private playroom. He had shown it to him before, but today would be their first time using it together.

Naruto liked being restrained. It made him feel safe and controlled while also putting his senses on alert. Sasuke led him to his own St. Andrew’s Cross and showed him the table beside it, upon which were laid out a red silk strip, a flogger, a riding crop, and a snake whip. Next to it was a stand for a bucket of ice. Naruto shivered a little, but other than that, he did not falter as Sasuke removed his clothes and folded them neatly.

Naruto had asked for this many times, and Sasuke had always refused. He had not yet had faith in Naruto’s ability to speak up if he were hurt or panicked. He felt much better about it, now, after seeing witnessing his submissive stand up for himself.

He had performed so beautifully at the play piercing, too. Sasuke knew this would be different, but it required a similar level of trust and awareness. He wanted to show Naruto something new, to give him something he desired. He also wanted to show him how much more was available with this type of play.

Sasuke raised his arms one by one and attached him to the saltire by his black leather cuffs. Once again, he knelt at his feet, the familiar sense of devotion warming him inside as he linked the ankle cuffs to the lower portion of the cross. He tied the red silk band around Naruto’s eyes and tested his vision by waving his hand in front of his face, satisfied that he did not flinch. Chill bumps prickled over the perfect, tanned flesh of the man on the cross, and Sasuke experienced a thrill of his own.

He lifted the flogger and ran the tails gently over Naruto’s shoulder and down his beautiful back, making him tremble ever so slightly. He did this a few times before raising it and bringing the tails down upon Naruto’s upper back just slightly harder. He relished the sound of leather thudding against human skin. Naruto hummed in contentment.

Sasuke aimed his first moderately hard stroke over the shoulder that had not been branded. In his restraints, Naruto tensed up and shuddered as he moaned. Sasuke inwardly cursed himself for not gagging him; those little sounds were dangerous to his calm, dangerous to the “not a sexual relationship” clause of their agreement.

Working his hand in a figure eight, he rained blows over Naruto’s skin. He varied the intensity, almost gentle at some points, hard enough to leave slight redness at others. He brushed the flogger over the taut, round buttocks on display to him and then leaned in to Naruto’s ear.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

Naruto, beautiful in his blindfold nodded. “Yes, Master,” he said, almost dreamily. Sasuke chuckled, pleased at the way Naruto arched his body and responded to his voice.

“Do you remember your safeword?”

“Yes, sir. Cinderella.”

“Good boy,” Sasuke told him, and Naruto’s skin flushed even deeper as he smiled.

Sasuke went back to teasing and tormenting him with the flogger. He did not use much force at all; just moderately hard, repetitive smacks over the skin of his bottom, upper thighs, and upper back. Naruto was relaxed at first, but as the smacks increased, he began to tense up and strain a little.

“Still OK?” Sasuke asked him.

“Yes, sir,” Naruto breathed.

Sasuke massaged the reddened flesh of his buttocks with his hand. “You’re doing well.”

Once again, Naruto shuddered and flushed at the praise.

The next time Sasuke brought the flogger down, he did so with considerable force. Naruto hissed and squirmed against the bindings. The tenth time Sasuke did this, he cried out, then quickly screamed, “Please don’t stop, Sir!”

The upper part of Naruto’s back was now covered in welts that would surely sting the next day. Sasuke had forgotten how perfect a well-made flogger felt in his hand. Power and confidence thrummed in his veins. Naruto’s perfect body was bared to him, to him alone, and he, Sasuke, had been entrusted to take this beautiful boy to the razor’s edge between pain and pleasure.

He dropped the flogger onto the table and flexed his hands, allowing the some of the tension to ease out of his wrists. He picked up a piece of ice from the bucket and trailed it up from the base of Naruto’s spine to the nape of his neck. Naruto whimpered sweetly. Sasuke blew over the back of his neck and took a moment to appreciate the reflexive shudder that coursed through the pinioned submissive’s body.

“Are we still good?” Sasuke asked. He very gently wrapped his free hand around Naruto’s throat while the other continued to ice down his reddened back and ass.

“Mmhmmm, yes, Master,” Naruto murmured somewhat drunkenly.

Sasuke dropped the ice cube and lifted the riding crop. He ran the flat of the popper over Naurto’s ass and down the backs of his thighs. He slipped it between his legs, allowing it to caress his cock and balls through the fabric of his g-string. He turned it over and drew the edge up over his perineum, then passed it between the cleft of his ass.

Naruto shivered, and Sasuke licked his lips. A million thoughts about all he wanted to do to the man in bondage before him invaded his mind. Sasuke shut them all down and focused on the task at hand.

He tapped one ripe, muscular half-sphere with the popper. Naruto made a choked whining sound. Sasuke brought it down just slightly harder. Naruto’s body, insofar as it could move in restraint, stiffened and arched.

He trailed his hand up Naruto’s spine, over the nape of his neck to the back of his head, and spread his fingers over his scalp to massage gently. He then gripped his hair at the roots and pulled Naruto’s head back, leaning into him as he did so. “Did you like that?”

Naruto licked his lips, which were slightly parted and pink. “Yes, Master,” he sighed.

“I bet you do.” He released Naruto’s hair and taunted him with the popper again, caressing his skin with it almost lovingly.

_Slap!_

He brought it down harder than any blow he had delivered to Naruto thus far. Naruto hissed. A fine luster appeared over his golden-brown skin.

Sasuke popped him smartly over the ass and upper thighs, leaving behind the red imprint of the crop’s popper. Naruto seemed to truly come alive at this, so Sasuke continued to indulge them both.

By the time Sasuke was satisfied, Naruto’s ass and upper thighs were vivid red and almost raw-looking. Sasuke lightly brushed his hand over the inflamed flesh. “Do you want to keep going?” he asked.

Naruto shook his head ‘yes’ enthusiastically.

Sasuke smacked his bottom with his open palm. “Use your words,” he said sharply.

“Yes, Master,” Naruto eked out. “Please keep going, Sir.”

Sasuke grinned. Their play was not terribly onerous at this point, but he was still impressed with Naruto’s stamina and drive. He wondered where this could take them in the future, what kind of scenes they could arrange as Naruto and he progressed in their understanding of each other.

How much of a future did they have left?

Sasuke violently pushed back against the painful questions. For now, Naruto was his to command, his to hurt so sweetly and to soothe.

He laid the flogger down and rested his hands a little. He lifted the signal whip from off of the table and turned it over in his hands as he thought. The whip was similar to the one Hidan used on Naruto before—although Sasuke’s was of higher quality—and while Naruto had requested it, Sasuke feared that it would be that one inch too far as they explored his boundaries.

He debated removing the blindfold, then decided against it. This way, Naruto might be able to block out the visual stimuli and simply enjoy the scene as it continued to unfold. Sasuke reasoned that it was similar to hooding a hawk or putting blinders on a horse; without his vision, Naruto might be less inclined to the terror and unfortunate memories the sight of the whip might inspire.

Sasuke unfurled the whip and ran the tail through his fingers, relishing the feeling of the taut leather. He coiled it up and approached Naruto quietly. He brushed the coiled whip over the back of Naruto’s neck and allowed it to unfurl over his back, eliciting a gasp from the bound man.

“How are you feeling?” Sasuke asked him.

“Good, Master. Thank you, sir,” Naruto said tightly.

Sasuke swept the whip up over his back and circled the fall around his neck. He pulled gently. “You know what this is?”  
  


“Yes, sir.”

“You know what I can do with this?” Sasuke asked him.

Naruto swallowed and nodded his head.

“Uh-uh-uh,” Sasuke chided. He tapped Naruto’s lower lip with his finger. “Use your words.”

“Yes, sir,” Naruto whipered.

“Are you certain you want to continue?”

Naruto paused for a moment then answered. “Yes, Master.”

“You are to use your safeword if at any time you feel too frightened or to hurt to continue. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good boy.”

Sasuke could see the tension in Naruto’s muscles, tension not just from being restrained and held in position, but tension borne of expectation. He stood at a distance from the bound submissive on the cross.

He flicked his wrist with disciplined ease. The whip snaked through the air and cracked.

“Aaah aaaaa!” Naruto cried just before the tip of the fall landed exactly where Sasuke had aimed it on his upper back. He made a surprised gargle when the awaited impact proved far less intense than he had expected.

“How are you doing?” Sasuke asked him again.

“F-f-fine, M-master,” he ground out.

“Do you want to continue?”

“Yes, Master,” Naruto said in a tremulous voice.

Once again, Sasuke sent the fall of the whip zinging through the air, allowing it to crack before it touched Naruto’s skin. Naruto groaned and shuddered, then breathed in when, again, the blow was far less dramatic than the crack.

The next blow was much less theatrical. The whip did not crack this time; it landed, instead, with a solid, stinging slap on Naruto’s skin. It did not break the skin, but it certainly abraded it. It came as a surprise to the submissive, and Naruto cried out.

Sweat dripped down his arms, legs, and back. Sasuke carried on, careful not to break the skin, always cognizant of the scar on Naruto’s shoulder. He did not want to inflict the maximum amount of pain upon Naruto; he wanted to heighten his awareness, put him on edge, make him see how much his anticipation elevated the sensations.

Naruto whimpered and moaned as Sasuke’s whip fell over his skin. “M-m-master… please…” he begged.

“Please _what_ , boy?”

“C-c-cinderella!”

Sasuke heaved a sigh that was equal parts relief and disappointment. Pushing Naruto made his nerves sing. Yet this was the moment he had hoped for, and he was proud of his submissive.

“ _Good_ boy.”

He carefully released Naruto from the saltire and supported him as they walked to a wide divan. He gently set the trembling submissive down and removed the cuffs. He placed readied cold-packs on Naruto’s back, ass, and thighs. He opened a bottle of water, placed a bendable straw in it, and raised it to Naruto’s lips.

The exhausted boy drank gratefully.

“Stick out your tongue,” Sasuke instructed. Naruto looked at him apprehensively, but he opened his mouth and did as he was told. Sasuke placed a square of chocolate on his tongue.

“Thank you,” Naruto mumbled after he had eaten it. Sasuke unfolded a fleece blanket and laid it over him.

He had learned that, in Naruto’s mind, aftercare required snuggles. So he lay beside him and took him into his arms. “I’m glad you used your safeword,” he said. “Very glad.”

“Really?” Naruto asked tremulously. “You didn’t really hurt me bad, though. I just… just…”

“Couldn’t take anymore?” Sasuke supplied.

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke did not demand speech. He knew he was struggling with formulating thoughts right now.

“Not being able to take further stimulation is a valid reason to stop the play,” Sasuke said. “I’m _proud_ of you.” Naruto seemed to need that validation.

“Do you see how intense things can be even when someone doesn’t end up bleeding?” he asked.

Naruto let out a little laugh and nodded.

“How are you feeling?” Sasuke asked.

“Sore,” Naruto said. “But also really good, but really shaky, and I really wanna laugh, but I wanna cry, too.”

“All to be expected,” Sasuke remarked, smiling at the way the words tumbled out of his mouth. He threaded his fingers through Naruto’s hair, an action he knew calmed each of them and brought them “back to earth”—an action that made his insides ache.

So many times, Sasuke wanted to keep going, keep touching. He wanted to wrap Naruto in all of his affection and protect him. He wanted to lift him up and place him on a pedestal, to hold a mirror up to his exalted form and show him just how damnably beautiful and perfect he was. _Why_ had no one done that before? Why had no one acknowledged how exceptional the boy in his arms was?

It was unconscionable for Sasuke to do that, though, for so many reasons. Naruto was young and traumatized. Sasuke was much older and jaded. Yes, _jaded_ was a good word, as was wary. Sasuke had never experienced love. He had never felt for another person what he was beginning to feel for Naruto, but Naruto was in no way ready for a romance with a man as closed-off and unyielding as Sasuke.

Naruto was a romantic at heart, Sasuke had known this from the beginning. Soon, he would seek out romance. Sasuke’s role in his life would have been fulfilled, and he would go on to find happiness with another. That was the way it should be.

If it left a hole in Sasuke’s defenses, in his life, in his _heart_ … that was a small price to pay for the beautiful boy to understand that he was worthy of respect.

Naruto heaved himself over in Sasuke’s arms so that they were looking at each other. “Dr. Uchiha?” he asked in a small, frail voice.

Sasuke winced at the formality and realized he had never given Naruto permission to use his first name. “Yes, Uzumaki?”

Naruto grinned ruefully. “Been a long time since you called me that,” he said.

“Hn.”

“Could you please kiss me?” Naruto asked. He looked frightened and near to tears.

“Naruto…”  
  


“Please. It makes me feel… it makes me feel like… everything’s OK. I’m not asking for sex or anything like that. Or for you to date me or whatever it is. Just… please.”

Sasuke’s chest throbbed as he looked the boy over. He wanted to tell him yes. He _needed_ to tell him no.

_No, I will not kiss you. No, I will not love you. No, because you will leave a crater in my life when you go. No._ _ **No**_.

But instead, he stroked Naruto’s cheek with his thumb. “On one condition.”

Naruto blinked. “Yes, Sir?”

“You have to call me Sasuke.”

Naruto’s body sagged against Sasuke in relief. He smiled. “Yes, sir. Uhm. Sasuke.”

Sasuke did not close his eyes as he moved in. He was aware of Naruto watching, aware of his breath quickening. He kissed Naruto gently but firmly. Naruto’s arms went around him, and he pulled the young man closer. The tip of Naruto’s tongue prodded at his lips, and Sasuke opened his mouth to receive him.

Naruto’s taste intoxicated him. He was slightly salty, slightly sweet—so young, so virile. They kissed lazily and patiently, the way Sasuke had never kissed anyone before. His eyes fluttered shut. His hands filled themselves with Naruto’s hair, cupped Naruto’s face. It was too much and too little all at once.

It was Naruto who pulled away at last. “Thank you,” he whispered through a yawn.

Internally, Sasuke scoffed. _Thank you? For giving you what I want more than anything to give you?_

Outwardly, he smiled. “You’re welcome.” He brushed Naruto’s hair out of his face and kissed his forehead.

Naruto smiled sleepily and curled into a tight ball, then promptly went to sleep.

Sasuke held him as he slept off the exhaustion. So what, if he’d never held another submissive as they’d slept? And so what, if, after he woke, Sasuke ran him a bath or fed him steak and roasted vegetables? So what, if this went beyond what was called for in aftercare? Naruto deserved it. He deserved more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very large portion of flogging's appeal is not the impact itself, but the expectation. The waiting for the lash, the sharp crack, then--the blow itself. Which can be, depending on many different variables, stinging, thudding, abrading, or cutting. Never ever whip someone when you do not know what you are doing. You practice a million times before you take a whip to another human, and be sure anyone eager to use a whip on you has practiced, as well. Other things to consider is the space you are in. You don't want to injure another person, so this is not something for crowded areas or small spaces. Never hit the lower back, the front of the body, or the sides of the torso. All of these are areas where the internal organs can be bruised or otherwise damaged by impact. 
> 
> If you choose to explore flogging, make certain that you get decent tools. Don't scout Amazon. The right flogger and whips will have properly weighted handles and high quality falls. It usually takes at least a moderate amount of money to procure a decent one. 
> 
> Aftercare is so important. If the person topping doesn't supply it, someone else should. After being restrained and psychologically on-edge, the prefrontal cortex is not at its best. Driving should not happen. Decision-making should not happen. Neurochemicals will be shifting dramatically. Chills might occur. Blood sugar might drop. This is why Sasuke gives Naruto chocolate and covers him. 
> 
> Sasuke is definitely in over his head! ruh-roh! Fun fact: oxytocin and prolactin are secreted heavily by both dom/mes and subs during aftercare. Those are the bonding hormones associated with child care and romance. He stands not one chance. I anticipate many of you will appreciate aspects of the upcoming chapter, hahaha. There will be more glimpses of Neji, for one thing.


	7. Maid to Order [Around]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke learns he has some limits of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> T/CW: Child sexual abuse discussed. Occurs late in chapter. No act is explicitly described.
> 
> orgasm delay/denial, cross-dressing, humiliation, spanking, masturbation.

Sasuke smiled smugly at his phone screen. He had been taunting Naruto with edging and orgasm denial off and on for a few hours. This was the third volley of texts this shift concerning Naruto’s increasingly urgent pleas for relief.

_Please sir_

_I mean._

_I’m sorry_

_I meant Sir_

_Please._

_Master_

_May I please please please cum_

He texted back.

**Have you touched yourself yet?**

_No Sir not yet pls can I_

**Good. Grip yourself at the base.**

_THANK YOU MASTER OMG_

**DO NOT move your hand yet.**

…

_OK_

_I mean yes Sir_

**Stroke. Slowly.**

_Yes Sir Thank oyo Msater_

Sasuke grinned spitefully at Naruto’s misspellings. He knew the boy was losing his mind.

**Speed up.**

_Yes Sri_

**Tell me when you’re close**

_Yes Sir thank you_

**Video.**

_Oh no fr???_

**What do you think?**

Sasuke quickly ascertained that the volume on his phone was off and that no one could look over his shoulder. This would be torment for him, as well, but he could not resist it.

The blood rose to his cheeks when the video call came through. Naruto’s cock was an angry, demanding shade of bright pink, with a tantalizing pearl of pre shining at the slit. Naruto obediently pumped his hand just as Sasuke had instructed.

Sasuke swallowed hard and typed into the chat window.

**Good boy. Faster.**

He watched as Naruto complied, noting the way his grip tightened around his shaft. The pre-cum began to drip, over the reddened glans onto Naruto’s fingers. If hell existed, Sasuke was certainly bound to go, sporting the world’s most painful hard-on for the rest of eternity.

_Clse Matsre_

_close_

_Please_

**Stop.**

_no way rly_

**Yes, really.**

He caught a brief view of Naruto’s face, contorted in frustration, as he tried to type.

_Pls pls pls let me cum!_

**Not now. Stop.**

_But it hurrrrrts!!!_

**I said stop.**

_I HATE YOU_

**That’s “I hate you, Master.”**

_asfkafsdkj I hate you, MASTER_

Sasuke smirked and sent a photo of a chastity cage.

_You’re such a bastard Master Sir_

Sasuke could not contain his laughter. Neji and Sakura had just come outside, and they looked at him strangely.

“Uchiha is laughing,” Neji remarked. “Did an orphanage burn down?”

Sakura giggled infuriatingly and fixed Sasuke with a knowing glance.

“You should really get a life, Hyuuga,” Sasuke snapped.

Neji shrugged. “Lives are expensive. The entertainment you provide, however, is endless and free.”

“It’s really basic economics, when you think about it,” Sakura joined in.

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help but smile. Fortunately for what remained of his sanity, a single-driver car accident soon forced his attention away from the thought of Naruto’s engorged member and his own painful erection. When his shift was over, he allowed Naruto to release his tension at long last.

Sasuke knew he was skirting a dangerous edge. He had not been strong enough, in the weeks following his talk with Kakashi, to distance himself from his submissive. They continued to have play-dates and go to the club on Friday nights.

Yet Naruto was progressing beautifully, in Sasuke’s opinion; he rejected scenes he did not want and used his safeword when he needed to. Most delightfully, he had developed a bratty sense of familiarity with Sasuke. Paired with the submissive’s unfailing obedience, it exhilarated the older man. It was refreshing. It was adorable.

It was killing Sasuke slowly.

“Are you certain about this?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto’s face scrunched up. “Yeah? I mean… I can safeword if it’s too much, right?”

“Always,” Sasuke said with a little smile. He could hardly believe how far Naruto had come.

“Then, yeah. I’m certain.” He grinned widely, putting Sasuke’s heartbeat just a little out of rhythm.

“Go and change,” the dominant ordered.

Naruto bounded off to Sasuke’s room with all the elegance and grace of a rottweiler puppy.

Sasuke was reclining in his black leather armchair when Naruto emerged. Behind him, Sasuke heard the bathroom door close. He did not turn his head as the awkward click-clack of high heels sounded over the hardwood floors.

Finally, Naruto stood before him—face red, lips in a pout—in the maid’s uniform Sasuke had held aside for him. He dropped to his knees and crossed his wrists behind his back. Head bowed, he awaited Sasuke’s approval.

“Stand up,” Sasuke ordered. Naruto rose, a little unsteady on the unfamiliar heels. Sasuke caught just a glimpse of black lace panties as he came to his feet.

“Turn,” he said thickly.

Naruto turned around awkwardly. Sasuke had forgotten how attractive his submissive was in these clothes. The silken stockings brought out every contour of his thick, muscular thighs, and the heels showed off the appreciable bulge of his calves.

Sasuke stood. He walked around Naruto slowly, aware of the blond’s growing unease. “Very nice,” he pronounced.

He tangled his hands in the roots of Naruto’s hair and pulled his head back. One long, pale finger skimmed over the brown skin of Naruto’s throat, then over his sternum.

“I like the way this makes your _cleavage_ look,” Sasuke said, his voice coming out higher and thinner than usual. He brushed his hand lightly over Naruto’s pectorals. “Such a _pretty_ girl.”

Naruto’s breath hitched. He caught his lower lip between his teeth. “Thank you, Master,” he said softly.

“A polite girl, too,” Sasuke said mockingly. Naruto flexed his hands before remembering himself and holding them still.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“The lace cap is such a nice touch. I don’t entertain often, but I’m thinking that I should start, now that I have such good help.” Sasuke laughed darkly. Naruto’s eyelid twitched, but he said nothing.

“Make my tea, girl,” Sasuke commanded. “You know how I like it. If you make it incorrectly, you’ll have a mess to clean up.

“Yes, Sir.” Naruto struggled to keep the resentment out of his voice. He walked to the kitchen, teetering on his heels. Sasuke walked behind him.

He said nothing as Naruto prepared the tea. He offered no criticisms or guidance, but he watched intently. When Naruto stretched to pull the tea from a high cabinet, the skirt of the uniform rode up to reveal black lace panties stretched alluringly over his tight, round ass.

Sasuke simultaneously cursed and praised his own ingenuity. Naruto had asked for another shot at cross-dressing and light feminization, and Sasuke had provided. The way his masculine angles stood out in the traditionally feminine clothing was sinfully beguiling, and it strained every millimeter of Sasuke’s self-discipline.

By the time the tea was brewed, Sasuke had begun to sweat. He walked to the living room and took his seat as Naruto carried the tea tray to the table beside his chair. The blond-haired boy knelt and poured Sasuke’s tea, straining out the leaves carefully. He presented the cup to Sasuke.

Sasuke took the cup, and Naruto knelt in front of him so that he could prop his feet up on his back. Sasuke settled back and sipped the tea. Naruto had, surprisingly, made an excellent pot of Lapsang souchong; almost as good as Sasuke, himself.

Naruto struggled to stay still as he knelt at Sasuke’s feet. This sort of domination did not come naturally to Sasuke; he did not enjoy humiliating submissives or demanding silly, probative acts of obedience. He was still unsure of why Naruto had asked for this to begin with. He and Sasuke both had a decided preference for dramatic, painful play.

Their initial exploration of this theme had struck some sort of chord in Naruto, though, and Sasuke obliged his curiosity.

Sasuke finished his cup of tea and poured himself another. Instead of drinking it, he leaned over and poured it directly onto the floor.

He nudged Naruto’s side with his toe. “Clean it up, girl.”

Naruto took a deep breath. He carefully lifted his dominant’s feet and set them down on the floor, then reached for the paper towels sitting beside Sasuke’s chair. He crawled over to the puddle of tea and began to wipe it up, providing Sasuke a tantalizing view of his lace-clad ass.

Sasuke prodded him with his toe. “Hurry up, girl. Don’t let it stain.”

Naruto stiffened. “Yes, Master,” he said.

“You don’t sound grateful for my instruction,” Sasuke said gruffly.

“I’m grateful for your instruction, Master,” Naruto grit out.

“Hm. I don’t think you are. I think you require more discipline.”

Naruto stilled.

“Crawl over here,” Sasuke ordered.

Naruto turned around slowly and crawled on his hands and knees to Sasuke, looking feral and somewhat dangerous.

“Over my knees.”

Sasuke gave Naruto a significant look before the blond draped himself face-down over his lap. He lifted the frilly, black skirt. He was glad he had insisted that Naruto wear the garters this time; the flimsy satin bands strained beautifully around the well-defined upper thighs. He popped one, then the other, making Naruto squirm in place.

He folded the skirt over the small of Naruto’s back. Naruto’s firm buttocks distorted the motif of the lace panties he wore. Sasuke bit back a swear at the delectable sight. He rubbed the toned flesh, then ripped the backside of the panties apart to bare the skin completely.

Naruto startled and jerked in Sasuke’s lap. Sasuke pinched one cheek, then cupped Naruto’s bottom with his hand.

“How many swats this time, girl?” he asked.

Naruto tensed. “Fifty, Sir,” he ground out.

“Are you sure about that?” Sasuke asked. Naruto’s responses were beginning to trouble him.

“Yes, Master.” There was the confident voice Sasuke wanted to hear. He determined that he would stop if he noticed Naruto reverting to previous behavior.

“You are to use your safeword if you feel overwhelmed or frightened at any time,” he instructed.

“Yes, Sir.”

“You know how to count your licks.”

“Yes, Master.”

Sasuke brought his hand down lightly on Naruto’s ass.

“One, Master.”

The next swat came over the opposite cheek.

“Two, Master.”

At 15, Sasuke paused and caressed Naruto’s red and sensitized bottom. He brought his hand down harder at 16, harder still at 30. Tears dripped onto the wood floor beneath Naruto. Sasuke’s chest tightened.

“Are you all right?” he inquired.

“Yes, Master, please finish my spanking,” Naruto pleaded.

At 40, Naruto lost count. He sniffled as they began anew. Sasuke winced.

“You don’t have to continue if it’s becoming too intense,” he reminded Naruto.

“I don’t want to stop,” Naruto insisted through his tears.

Sasuke reached 30 when he, himself decided to stop. His palm stung from the impact. Naruto’s ass was red, almost purple in spots, and so were the backs of his thighs. “That’s over 50 licks. Good girl.”

Naruto looked back at him, red-eyed and wet-faced. “But I miscounted.”

“You took 70 licks. You were very strong,” Sasuke told him.

“But I can take more!”

_I can’t,_ Sasuke thought to himself.

“No,” Sasuke said harshly, “I’m not going to hit you anymore right now.”

Naruto squirmed uneasily in his lap. “Master,” he whimpered pitifully, “may I please cum?”

Sasuke had not failed to notice that Naruto’s cock was erect against his thigh. He had expected this. He had not expected it to occur after 70 swats.

“You may,” he told his submissive.

Naruto made to climb out of Sasuke’s lap.

“No,” Sasuke told him. “Turn over.”

Naruto looked back at him bemusedly, but he turned over as Sasuke instructed. Sasuke cradled him in his arms with his head resting against the armrest of the chair.

“Now,” Sasuke told him.

Naruto wet his chapped and swollen lips with his tongue. He shyly reached into his mangled panties and took out his cock. It was engorged, the shaft nearly purple, and pre-cum flowed from the tip. He made quite the appetizing picture, lying in Sasuke’s arms, his hand around his erect cock and his ruined panties dangling around his legs.

He closed his eyes and gripped the base of his shaft.

“Stop,” Sasuke said sharply. Naruto’s eyes fluttered open, and he looked at Sasuke quizzically.

“I want you to look in my eyes,” he murmured, “the whole time.”

Naruto licked his lips again. “Yes, Master,” he whispered hoarsely.

Sasuke watched as Naruto began to move his hand. He moved slowly, almost shyly, at first.

Little moans fell from his lips as he stroked harder and faster. As he neared completion, he began thrusting up into his hand. His eyes rolled back.

Sasuke pinched him in the side. “Eyes on me,” he reminded him.

The blue eyes focused on him once more, and Naruto began to writhe and vocalize inarticulately. Sasuke pet his hair.

“Such a good boy,” he praised. “Cum for your Master, now.”

Naruto grit his teeth and arched his back.

“Cum, Kurama,” Sasuke commanded again.

Naruto let out a high-pitched whine. His back arched and his mouth formed a silent scream as semen shot out over his hand and belly, his eyes on Sasuke the entire time. He panted and sagged in his dominant’s arms.

“Good. Good boy,” Sasuke said softly. Naruto looked up at him through hazy, unfocused eyes.

“I made a mess, Master,” he slurred.

“You did exactly as you were told,” Sasuke reminded him. He reached and pulled up the paper towels they had used during Naruto’s “maid duties.” He tore one off and gently wiped Naruto’s hand and lower abdomen clean.

He then helped Naruto stand and walked him to the couch, where they had room to cuddle. Naruto promptly buried his face in Sasuke’s chest, and Sasuke wrapped him in a soft throw. He put his arms around the quiet boy and held him close.

“Do you need some water?” Sasuke asked him. Naruto shook his head no. “Something to eat?” Again, Naruto signaled no.

“Do you feel shaky or faint?”

“No, Sir. I just feel out of it,” Naruto answered in the small, childlike voice that sometimes emerged during and after scenes.

Sasuke held him for a moment. When Naruto seemed relaxed, he eased himself up and went to the kitchen for ice packs. Naruto seemed to hang between wakefulness and sleep when he returned, so he put his hand on his arm to let him know he was there.

“I have ice,” he said. Naruto nodded, and Sasuke applied the ice packs to the skin he had spanked earlier. “Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked again.

Naruto nodded, but he also sniffled. Sasuke climbed onto the sofa beside him and spooned him, mindless of the ice packs and the condensation that seeped into his clothing. He combed his hands through Naruto’s hair soothingly.

“You did a good job,” he said again. “I know that kind of obedience is hard for you.”

“I don’t get it,” Naruto mumbled.

“What don’t you get?” Sasuke asked.

“I don’t understand why I get off on… on…”

“On being humiliated?” Sasuke offered.

“Well, yeah, but… why… stuff that happened that I hated, why do I…” Naruto broke down and began to cry.

Sasuke pulled him closer. “Shh,” he whispered. “It’s OK.” He stroked Naruto’s hair lovingly, his heart aching.

“Human sexuality is complex,” he said after Naruto quieted. “Many people get off on humiliation and degradation. It’s a very common kink.”

“But I…” Naruto began and then broke off. Sasuke waited as he gathered his thoughts.

“I shouldn’t like things that remind me of that,” he said at last.

Sasuke frowned and his jaw clenched. “Do you mean the things that your foster father did to you?”

Naruto nodded his head.

“Would it surprise you to know you aren’t alone?” Sasuke said. “People don’t always get to learn about sexuality or sexual touch in the best ways. It’s confusing when a person’s first sexual exposure occurs in an abusive context. It’s emotionally devastating. At the same time, the body responds to the stimulation. That doesn’t make you bad or complicit. The body’s response to touch doesn’t mean you enjoyed being abused. Neither does arousal when something reminds you of it.”

Naruto pulled his legs up closer to his chest. “I feel so gross.”

Something inside of Sasuke tore and bled when he said this. Once again, he had to work to displace his rage and sadness—it was not what Naruto needed in this moment.

“You are not gross,” he said forcefully. “People seek this kind of play sometimes to make sense of conflicting feelings about past traumas. They can confront the fear and disgust along with the sexual arousal in a safe environment. That doesn’t make you gross, Naruto, not at all. It makes you a person who is trying to make sense of being exposed to arousal in the worst possible way.”

He tightened his arms around Naruto and kissed the top of his head. “Do you want to know what I appreciate the most about our lifestyle?”

“What?”

Sasuke nuzzled into Naruto’s hair and then rested his chin on his head. “We acknowledge what most of society ignores. We acknowledge that, socially, we are dominated by power imbalances and humiliation, but we use the symbols of those power imbalances to confront them in a way that allows everyone safety. We put those dynamics into a less threatening, less hurtful context.”

Naruto giggled. “It hurts, though.”

Sasuke chuckled and ruffled his hair. “It hurts to be flogged,” he acknowledged, “but does it hurt the same or as badly as being abused by someone with authority in your life?”

“No,” Naruto said soberly. “It doesn’t hurt as bad as that.”

“In a relationship like ours, you choose who inflicts the pain upon you. You call a halt to it if you feel endangered. We can defang the power dynamics rampant in our lives, at least for those moments when we play.” Sasuke had given this much thought over the years, but he had never discussed his views with a submissive.

Naruto turned over and looked up at him with glistening eyes. “I wish I’d known you in high school.”

Sasuke snorted. “It would have been quite illegal for me to dress you up and spank you, then,” he said.

Naruto laughed weakly. “I didn’t mean like that. I mean as someone to talk to. You would have made things make sense for me. I wouldn’t have felt like a freak…”

“You are a freak,” Sasuke said. He traced Naruto’s cheekbone reverently with his thumb. “So am I. But you are never gross, or sick, or any of the other distasteful things you’ve called yourself. Naruto…”

He paused, thinking of how best to phrase what he needed to say. Naruto stared at him anxiously.

“I can’t play with you this way anymore,” he said at last.

Naruto’s eyes filled with hurt and confusion. “What? Why?”

Sasuke closed his eyes tightly and grimaced. “I can flog you, Naruto. I can pierce you. I can spank you. I can bruise you and make you bleed. I can’t humiliate you. I can’t degrade you. Even if it’s what you want, I can’t do it. I can’t do anything that makes you doubt your worth. I simply cannot.”

Sasuke was unprepared for the bear hug that engulfed him. He was likewise unprepared for the fierce kiss the submissive bestowed upon him. Most of all, he was unprepared for his own response, for the way he twined his fingers through Naruto’s hair and opened his mouth to admit the tongue that probed against his lips.

Later, he would figure out how to put some distance between them. For now, Sasuke’s arms and heart were full of the boy who made him feel things he thought he would never feel again. He savored it the way a man facing the death penalty savors his last steak dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I intended to have this posted last night. I apologize I could not: This has been a demanding weekend, and, in addition, this chapter was demanding to write. I'm still not completely at ease with it. I shortened it considerably, hacking it into a chapter of its own from a larger work. This seemed to be the place to end it.
> 
> I want to make some things very clear. Not everyone in a BDSM lifestyle is recovering from childhood abuse. Not everyone who enjoys humiliation is acting out childhood traumas. Some are. That's for each individual to decide upon their own.
> 
> Also, not everyone responds to childhood abuse the same. I do not want it implied that I believe being abused is arousing. As Sasuke said, there's a difference between a physical response (such as an erection) and wanting to be touched. (This is why consent is so important.) This can be so confusing for a young person and can haunt them for years. Sasuke is trying to show Naruto that his conditioning does not mean he is tainted by his abuse or that he liked it. 
> 
> Dom/mes have limits, too. Not all dominants are sadists. Not all dominants enjoy degrading their submissives (some do, and when they match up with the right submissive, lovely for both). Some can engage in certain kinks with one person, but not another. Sasuke has never liked domination for the sake of demanding trivial demonstrations of obedience, but he's especially unhappy with subjecting Naruto to any level of humiliation or degradation (this scene does not show the depth to which degradation can go; I won't say it's 'mild,' though, because what's mild to one person is an extreme for another). I think it's especially important to state that each person in a scene, regardless of their role, is a human being with limits and needs. 
> 
> The next chapter is a hard one, as well, so it may not appear for another couple of days. I'll try to have it to you by tomorrow. 
> 
> Lots of love, thank you all for your thoughtful and thought-provoking comments. Find me on Tumblr as yo-aloe-vera. 
> 
> PS, I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of Neji


	8. Playing With Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto takes risks he should not have taken. Sasuke has to come to some harsh realizations about Naruto's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self-harm discussed. Discussions of panic atttacks. Be advised that these things occur early in the chapter.

Sasuke fled to the parking deck as soon as he could leave the hospital. A chartered bus accident had ensured that the emergency department was stretched to its absolute maximum. He had worked well past the end of his shift, and the people he could not save had begun to take up residence in his skull.

When he got in his car, his phone began buzzing repeatedly. He cursed quietly and pulled it out of his pocket, hoping he was not being called back into the hospital.

Instead, he found a load of texts, all from Naruto, dumped into his messenger app at once. He scrolled through, annoyed at having to deal with requests for orgasm when he could barely stand upright.

As he read through them, though, an ominous feeling came over him.

_Master_

_Sir_

_Can I talk to you pls_

_I need your help_

_Dr. Uchiha_

_Sasuke_

_r u there?_

_Please_

Naruto never referred to him as Dr. Uchiha or Sasuke in his texts. Without thinking, he sped out of the parking lot and headed directly to Naruto’s apartment.

He knocked when he arrived. Despite having a key, he never let himself in without alerting Naruto to his presence. He heard nothing. He turned the key and stepped in cautiously.

The apartment was dark and quiet. At first, Sasuke could find no sign of Naruto’s presence. Then, he saw the lump on the futon. Sasuke rushed to his side. “Naruto! Hey! Naruto!” he said loudly.

The lump did not move. Sasuke gingerly put his hand out and touched the pile of blankets. A blond head peeked out, and Naruto turned over to look at him. Even in the semi-darkness, Sasuke could see that his eyes were puffy and red.

“Master…”

“What’s going on?” Sasuke asked. “I got your texts when I left the hospital.”

Naruto looked away.

“Don’t do that, Naruto, talk to me,” Sasuke ordered.

“I lost my job,” Naruto ground out. “My car broke and I didn’t have money for Uber. I called in and they fired me over the phone.”

Sasuke digested the information. “Is that what you called about?”

Naruto didn’t say anything. He hung his head.

“I said _talk,_ Naruto! I got over here as fast as I could, I need you to tell me what the hell is going on!”

“I had a panic attack,” Naruto said. “I tried to talk myself through it, y’know? I tried to do all this stuff to calm down, but I couldn’t.”

Dread began to knot up at the base of Sasuke’s spine. “What did you do, Naruto?”

Naruto sat up and allowed the blankets to fall away. He turned to face Sasuke fully. Sasuke could not see adequately in the low light, so he stood and switched on the overhead bulb. When he turned around and looked at Naruto, his breath hitched.

Over Naruto’s chest and belly were several burns. A few of them were clearly second degree.

“What is this?” he demanded angrily. What right had Naruto to take risks like this while life and death teetered precariously in Sasuke’s tired hands?

Naruto laid his head on his knees and began to cry. “I couldn’t take it. I needed it to stop. I’m gonna lose my apartment, Master! I don’t know what I’m gonna do, my life is so fucked up.”

“Did you do this to yourself, or did someone…” Sasuke could not even finish his sentence. The thought alone of someone marking Naruto up that way seized him with fury.

“I did it.”

Naruto’s breaths came fast and shallow, and Sasuke knew he would hyperventilate if he did not get it under control. He sat beside Naruto and took him by the shoulders. “Look at me, Naruto. Focus on me. Look into my eyes, all right? Good job. I want you to focus on breathing in long and deep.”

Naruto shook, but he complied, staring helplessly into Sasuke’s eyes as he struggled to breathe.

“That’s good. Send me a long, slow, steady breath,” Sasuke continued.

Again, Naruto obeyed him. Slowly, his breaths evened out.

“What did you burn yourself with?” Sasuke asked him. He made an effort to sound conversational, to keep the angry edge out of his voice.

“Candle.”

Sasuke had figured as much.

“Did you do this because you were panicking?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded.

“I know you’ve seen the psychiatrist Dr. Mitarashi referred you to. Did they give you any kind of prescription?”

Naruto nodded. “I couldn’t get it filled. It costs too much without insurance.”

“Did you text me before or after you burned yourself?”

“Before.” Naruto’s eyes filled with tears and he looked down.

The admission mollified Sasuke, if only slightly. If Naruto had made an attempt to deal with his panic before resorting to self-injury, Sasuke felt he could reach him.

“Stay here,” Sasuke instructed. He walked down to his car and brought up his emergency medical kit.

Naruto sat, solemn and still, as Sasuke tended his burns and applied ointment.

“You could have hurt yourself so much worse,” he said angrily. Naruto looked up at him, anguish clear in his blue eyes. Sasuke took a deep breath. “I’m sorry I couldn’t respond. There was a bus accident.”

“No, it’s my fault,” Naruto contested. “I should have been stronger.”

“You are strong. You shouldn’t have hurt yourself, regardless. Go get dressed. We have things to take care of.”

Naruto shuffled morosely to the bathroom to dress. He came out just moments later, looking worn and ashamed.

For the first time, Sasuke looked closely at Naruto’s clothing. It was clean, but it was threadbare, and he recognized the same pair of khakis and polo shirt Naruto wore on every non-club outing. The utter poverty of Naruto’s situation began to impress itself upon him. Naruto was not a “starving college student” or a struggling new professional; the broken-down apartment, the worn-out clothing, the inability to provide something as essential as psychiatric medication were all part of a life that Naruto could not look forward to changing meaningfully anytime soon.

“So, uh, Master, where are we going?” Naruto asked shyly. The childlike voice and meek demeanor were back, making Sasuke’s temples throb.

“First, we’re going to eat. Then, we’re going to fill your prescriptions,” he responded tightly.

“Uh… you don’t have to do that. I’ll get a job at a fast-food place or something. I can walk, y’know, or take the buses.”

“That doesn’t help us right now,” Sasuke said curtly. The entire situation filled him with anger Anger at Naruto, for hurting himself—for not letting Sasuke know how bad things were until he hurt himself; anger at Naruto’s employer for firing him over an issue that would not have existed had he been paid adequately to begin with; anger at the foster system; anger at society at large.

Naruto looked stricken, but Sasuke did not have the fortitude to comfort him at the moment. “Where are your prescriptions?”

Naruto walked over to a corner where papers were haphazardly piled and sifted through them. “Right here,” he said, holding up the blue-and-white slips of paper.

“May I see?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto nodded and handed them over to him. Sasuke looked over the scrips; one was a prescription for citalopram, another for buspirone. The last was for klonopin.

Sasuke grit his teeth. Naruto’s psychiatrist had clearly realized that his anxiety was out-of-control, and Naruto had been forced to power through the panic with no help at all. The anger inside of him enlarged to include himself, as well. These were things he should have known about his submissive.

“Change of plans,” Sasuke said. “We fill your prescriptions and then eat.”

Naruto trudged along behind him as Sasuke strode out of the dingy, cramped apartment.

The line at the nearest pharmacy was longer than Sasuke had expected. Most of the patrons were shabbily dressed; some wore clothes that were obviously dirty and torn. Many were excessively nervous and jittery. Like everything in Naruto’s immediate environs, it all spoke of desperation.

It was Naruto’s turn at last, and Sasuke paid a meager $50 for all three prescriptions.

_Naruto was unable to afford even this?_ Sasuke thought. He was filled with shame at how little he actually knew about the man who had taken his collar.

“Take your klonopin, now,” Sasuke instructed as they left. Naruto was clearly still hanging on the precipice of another panic attack.

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said dutifully. Sasuke did not correct him for lapsing into playtime protocols among vanillas.

“Where would you like to eat?” Sasuke asked when he had swallowed back the anxiolytic.

“Uh. There’s a pancake restaurant that’s good! It’s always open. But it’s kind of expensive,” Naruto said sheepishly.

“Let’s go.”

The restaurant was adequately clean, if shabby. Sasuke looked over the laminated menu. Once again, he was shocked at what Naruto considered expensive. He looked across the table at the boy. His teeth worried his lower lip incessantly as he studied the menu.

“Get what you want,” Sasuke said bluntly. “Anything. As much of it as you want.”

“I can’t… you don’t have to…”  
  
Sasuke cut Naruto’s protests off. “I said, get what you want. And nothing less than that.”

After several more nudges and encouragements, Naruto ended up ordering a plate of blueberry pancakes, with bacon, scrambled cheese eggs, and fruit on the side. Sasuke ordered a cup of coffee and a slice of toast.

“You aren’t gonna eat anything else?” Naruto asked before cramming a fork-load of pancakes into his mouth.

“Not hungry. This is my bedtime, usually,” Sasuke replied.

“I’m sorry,” Naruto said guiltily.

“It’s not your concern,” Sasuke told him. “I’ll sleep later.”

Naruto finished every morsel on his plate before Sasuke had eaten half of his slice of toast. When he noticed that Naruto was scraping the plate with his fork for the last remnants of pancakes, he ordered him another stack.

“Call Dr. Mitarashi,” Sasuke told him in the car. “See if she can see you on an emergency basis.”

Naruto obeyed without question. When he hung up the phone, he looked at Sasuke guiltily. “She’s outta town for the next two days,” he said despondently.

“Then call them back and make an appointment for two days from now.”

When Naruto had done as he was told, Sasuke’s exhaustion caught up with him.

“You’re going to come to the loft,” he told the young man. “I don’t want you alone right now. I have to sleep, but you can wake me if you feel your panic getting out of control. Can I trust you to take your medicine responsibly and not abuse it?”  
  


Anger contorted Naruto’s features. “I’m not a drug addict!” he said hotly.

“I didn’t say you were. Your judgment today has not been good, however, and I have concerns,” Sasuke snapped back.

Naruto’s shoulders sank. “Fine. I get it. I fucked up. I didn’t think it’d be all that bad, y’know. Lots of people do that stuff.”

Sasuke turned and glared at him. “What was that candle made of?”

“Uh, wax? Like all candles, right?” Naruto replied.

“What _kind_ of wax?” Sasuke demanded. “Was it paraffin? Was it beeswax? Did it have aromatic oils in it?”

“I don’t know!” Naruto gesticulated wildly. “It was just a candle, OK? I got it as a gift from a girl at work. What’s the big deal?”

Sasuke jerked the car into an empty space on the side of the street and slammed on the brakes. Naruto’s bravado slipped, and he stared at Sasuke wide-eyed and frightened.

“Do you know the melting point of the wax that was used?” he asked. “What would you have done if it had caught your bedding on fire? What would you have done if you’d sustained a third-degree burn? Do you know proper first aid for burns?”

Naruto’s eyes filled with tears.

“You knew none of that,” Sasuke continued. “You played with your safety ignorantly and haphazardly. Have you any idea of how I’d have felt if...”

He trailed off and turned his face away from the submissive in the passenger’s seat. His feelings had no place in this discussion. When he calmed himself and looked at Naruto again, the boy’s expression had changed. He studied Sasuke quietly and seriously.

“I know, now. I won’t do it again,” he promised.

“I need you to not take unwarranted risks with your health,” Sasuke said. “I need you to promise me that you won’t explore kinks like this without guidance. _My_ guidance,” he stipulated. “Things like this may seem minor, but they can be dangerous.”

“I understand,” Naruto said softly. Staring into his eyes, Sasuke felt that he actually did.

At the loft, Sasuke showed Naruto how to operate the television and gave him the run of the pantry. He refrained from confiscating Naruto’s medications, in spite of the anxiety pooling in his gut.

“Clean up any messes you make,” he told him. “You are to wake me if you find yourself panicking again.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto agreed. For the moment, the fact that his back was straight and he was using his grown-up voice comforted Sasuke.

He fell asleep almost immediately upon lying down.

The sun had just begun to set when he awoke. He took a prolonged shower, allowing the water to soothe the rigors of the day out of his muscles.

When he walked into the living area, he was surprised to find Naruto waiting beside his favorite chair with a pot of tea.

“It’s getting into fall, right?” Naruto asked him. “So… uh… I think that means oolong? I found it in your cabinet.”

Sasuke arched his brow. “When did you become an expert about the best teas for the season?” he asked with a smile.

Naruto grinned and blushed. “Well, I don’t. I looked up all the tea you had and this site said oolong was for autumn.”

Sasuke was nearly overcome with affection. It had been years since someone else had done something so thoughtful for him. He took the cup Naruto offered him and sat down. “Thank you,” he murmured. He took a sip and was surprised to find that, once again, Naruto had brewed an almost perfect cup of tea.

Naruto beamed like a kindergartener who had just won a gold star when Sasuke told him this.

“You know what this place needs?” Naruto asked, looking around the loft.

Sasuke glanced at him apprehensively.

“A plant!” Naruto said enthusiastically.

Sasuke chuckled. For the next hour, he drank his tea and listened indulgently as Naruto prattled on about the different houseplants he could have in a place with such great lighting. He tried not to think of the dark little apartment two miles and one entire world away from his loft.

Sasuke was a creature of the night. It pained him to rise the next morning and force Naruto up off of the sofa.

“We have things to do,” he told him. “I’ll launder your clothes while you shower, and you can wear some of mine today.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said. “Where are we going, Master?”

“Lots of places,” Sasuke said enigmatically.

“Holy shit!” Naruto shouted in the bathroom. Sasuke laughed to himself. He could hear the different shower heads turning on and off as Naruto washed, along with delighted little shrieks and giggles. The idea of Naruto splashing about like a child in his shower made Sasuke smile.

He came out several minutes later, his hair still wet and Sasuke’s clothes stretched across his muscular frame. Sasuke nearly choked when he saw him. The blue shirt brought out the color of Naruto’s eyes, and the clothing stretched almost to the point of tearing.

“You’ve got a bomb-ass shower, Master!” he said brightly.

“Thank you, I think,” Sasuke replied.

“Where are we going today?” Naruto asked again.

“Shopping, first of all,” Sasuke said. “Then, a job interview. And finally, we will see what can be done for your car.”

Naruto looked stricken.

“Speak up,” Sasuke told him, gripping his chin.

“I don’t have any money,” Naruto murmured.

“I do,” Sasuke said flatly.

“I can’t pay you back.” Naruto looked at the floor.

“Eyes up, boy,” Sasuke commanded. Naruto immediately raised his head and looked in Sasuke’s eyes. “I don’t expect or want to be paid back. You lost your job, and you need another. You need adequate transportation for that to happen.”  
  


Tears filled Naruto’s eyes. “I can’t let you do that.”  
  


Sasuke tapped his face lightly with his fingers. “It’s a good thing, then, that I’m not waiting for your permission.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said grudgingly.

Sasuke’s tailor was beside himself. “Of course, I can alter a ready-made suit, but surely, Mr. Uchiha, you don’t expect me to have it to you within hours?”

“I understand,” Sasuke told him. “I’ll happily pay more for your trouble. I’ve already told you that I want one custom-made suit for Mr. Uzumaki, in addition to the altered one. He needs a suit today, though, and I trust your skill.”

The prim little man preened at the comment—and at the expectation of more money, Sasuke thought wryly. “I would not do this for just anyone, Mr. Uchiha, but you have a longstanding relationship with my shop. I’ll alter Mr. Uzumaki’s suit immediately.”

Naruto stood awkwardly as he was measured.

“What a splendid build you have!” the tailor exclaimed as he brought the tape around Naruto’s chest. “You are too beautiful for off-the-rack. Mr. Uchiha should be ashamed of himself for even thinking of such a thing.”

“We need it today,” Sasuke said sharply, interrupting the man’s effusive praise for Naruto’s form. It irked him to see another man eyeing him with such undisguised interest.

When they were done placing their order, Sasuke took Naruto to eat at a trendy tapas restaurant.

“That guy was creepy,” Naruto grumbled as they took their seats. “Did he really need to have his hands that close to my crotch?”

“Measuring your inseam, you mean?” Sasuke said sarcastically. Truthfully, he had been displeased, himself, with the leisurely manner in which the tailor took that particular measurement.

“Whatever it was, his hands were too close to my junk,” Naruto said.

Sasuke laughed aloud.

Because the tailor could not have Naruto’s suit ready immediately, Sasuke next had Naruto’s car towed to his mechanic instead of heading to the job interview.

“Head gasket’s blown,” the mechanic said.

“Meaning?” Sasuke asked.

“The engine needs to be rebuilt. It’ll be at least $1200, if not more. Honestly, the car’s so old it’s probably not worth it. It’s coming up on 20 years old.”

Naruto looked absolutely stricken.

“Never mind, then. Sell it for scrap, and give Mr. Uzumaki the money. Can you do that?” Sasuke asked.

The mechanic agreed. Naruto collected his possessions from the car, and he and Sasuke left. Naruto stared out the window bitterly.

“I’m sorry about your car,” Sasuke said.

“That was my first car,” Naruto said. “My boss at the last place I worked back home sold it to me for about $400. I loved it. That’s the only way I was able to leave that town.”

Sasuke suddenly was ashamed of his high-handed tactics. “I’m sorry. Would you like to try to fix it?”

Naruto looked up at him in shock. “What? You heard him. It’s probably not worth it. And I don’t have $1200 or more.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sasuke said. “If you want that car, I’ll have it fixed for you. If not, we’ll find another option.”

Naruto looked down at his hands. “It was always a hunk of junk. I don’t know what else to do. I’m gonna miss it.”

Sasuke made a u-turn and headed back to the dealership. “Sit here,” he instructed.

When he returned, Naruto was sniffling quietly. He wiped his eyes hastily when Sasuke got back in the car.

Sasuke handed him a brown paper bag.

“What’s this?” Naruto asked.

“Look inside,” Sasuke told him.

Naruto put his hand in the bag and pulled out the chrome maker’s logo from the grill of the car, then the car’s nameplate from the back.

He laughed and looked up at Sasuke gratefully. “Thanks, Master.”

“No. No way! You can’t do this!” Naruto shouted.

“Yes, I can. We can do this one of two ways; you can either sign the papers with me, thereby building your credit, or I can buy it outright. Choose one or the other.”

“This is too much!” Naruto said.

The salesmen looked between the two men nervously. “Should I give you some time to discuss this?” he asked.

“Give us five minutes,” Sasuke said.

Naruto looked humiliated and angry. Sasuke led him to a bench in the showroom and sat with him.

“Do you understand that this is something I’m doing because I can and because I want to, Naruto?” he asked.

Naruto nodded, but he folded his arms across his chest and looked away.

“If you turn down this car, what are you going to do about going to work?” he prodded.

“I’ll walk and take the bus!” Naruto huffed.

“You’ll be able to save enough to put a down payment on another car that way?” Sasuke asked, already knowing the answer. If Naruto could not spend $50 on medicines at his old job, there was no way that a job in fast food would pay him enough to buy a car.

Naruto screwed up his face and scuffed his feet on the floor.

“Will you be able to afford your medicine?” Sasuke continued.

“I can’t… Sasuke! I can’t do this. I don’t like charity, OK? I want to earn everything I get! I don’t want it handed to me like some kind of…”

“Listen to me,” Sasuke said sternly. “Look outside.”

He and Naruto stared at a suited, middle-aged man and a young, teenage boy standing beside a newly-purchased red sports car.

“Do you think that kid earned that car?” Sasuke asked pointedly.

“It’s different. That’s his family,” Naruto said.

“Where’s your family, Naruto?” Sasuke knew the question was brutal.

“That’s not fair,” Naruto said angrily.

“No, it’s not,” Sasuke agreed. “It’s not fair that a kid who’s probably never worked a tenth as hard as you could come in here with his father and walk out with a brand new car, either. Life isn’t fair.

If it were, you wouldn’t have been fired for something that wasn’t your fault, and your job would have paid for the things you needed to begin with.”

Naruto shrank at these words, but Sasuke said nothing further. He allowed him a moment to think, then asked, “Do you know how credit works, Naruto?”

“I know if you don’t got it, you can’t get anything,” Naruto said darkly.

“If you sign the loan papers with me, your credit will be affected. If you keep the payments current, your credit score will go up. If you fall behind, your score will go down. On the other hand, I can buy the car with cash in your name, and there will be no payment. Your credit will not be affected at all. Do you understand?”

Naruto nodded.

“Understanding that, which option do you prefer?”

Naruto squirmed uneasily. “If I go with the first option, and I miss a payment, what happens to you? Since you’d be signing, too.”

Sasuke shrugged. “I’d either have to make the payment myself or accept that my own score would fall.”

“I don’t like that, Sasuke. I don’t like either.”

“Then let’s rephrase. Do you want me to make one big payment all at once, or do you want me to make several smaller payments over time if you weren’t able to pay?”

Naruto glared at him. “Then cosign with me. At least that way I can pay some.”

“Wise choice. You will notify me if you cannot make the payment on any given month.” It was not a question or a plea. It was an instruction, and Naruto responded as he did to most of Sasuke’s instructions.

“Yes, Sir,” he said.

“Not here,” Sasuke corrected.

They signed off on the papers, and the car was taken to be prepared for new ownership. Sasuke’s tailor texted alerting him that Naruto’s suit was ready, so Sasuke arranged for them to come back to pick up the car.

“Wow. I look like a whole new man!” Naruto said as he stared into the triplex mirror. The suit fit him gorgeously, but what made the entire ensemble work was the way Naruto stood a little taller and more confidently.

“You look like the man you’ve always been,” Sasuke said.

The look Naruto gave him hurt. It was almost worshipful, but with an edge of self-doubt. He longed to have his submissive back in full, bratty form, challenging him and keeping him on his toes.

Sasuke paid for the alterations and had Naruto dress in the back room. Sasuke gasped when he came out. He wore a pressed, white shirt with a royal blue tie that made his eyes sparkle. His broad shoulders and masculine build demanded notice, and his boyish smile offset the austerity of the suit.

“Oh, my, you make even off-the-rack look appealing!” the tailor exclaimed, clapping his hands. Naruto blushed.

“Thank you for your services. Call me when his suit is finished,” Sasuke told the tailor.

Sasuke was not an acquisitive person. He owned what he needed, nothing more, and he paid for the highest quality he could afford so he would not have to spend more often. He owned two suits, each of them bespoke, and about ten shirts—likewise made-to-order. He had never had to think much about money, though, he realized, because it had always been there for him.

His parents had not been the wealthiest people, but they were comfortable, and they had left Sasuke in good shape financially when they died. Being with Naruto showed him how different life could have been. He thought back to another young man he had once known, and felt an intense pang of remorse.

He knew Naruto was independent; that was what he liked about him. He remembered the way he had chided him for his dietary choices, though, and how Naruto had accepted his criticisms as if he, himself were to blame for the fact that he could only afford instant ramen and the occasional homemade burger.

Sasuke had missed so much about him. It shamed and saddened him.

“What’s the job interview for?” Naruto asked in the car. “Is it another landscaping job? I’m good at that, but you know, a suit is overkill for that kind of interview.”

“You know Guren,” Sasuke said. “I sent her to your apartment.”

“Yeah, I know Miss Guren,” he said.

“She agreed to interview you.”

“So I’d be a maid?” Naruto asked.

“If that’s what you want to call it,” Sasuke said with a smile. “I don’t think that’s how they refer to themselves.”

“I could do that kind of work!” Naruto said enthusiastically.

A neatly dressed, cheerful young woman, whom Sasuke recognized as Guren’s submissive, showed them into Guren’s office.

“Shall I bring tea?” she asked. “Miss Guren is busy at the moment, but she will be with you shortly.”

“Yes, please,” Sasuke said. Naruto fidgeted nervously in his chair.

“Don’t do that,” Sasuke told him when she left. “Radiate confidence.”

They might be there for a simple house-cleaning job, but Sasuke knew Guren’s fastidious preferences.

“Easy for you to say,” Naruto grumbled.

Sasuke looked at him sideways. “Is that insubordination I hear?”

“No, _Sir_ ,” Naruto grumbled with a pout. Sasuke concealed his smile.

Guren came in, carrying the tea-tray herself. As usual, she was dressed and made-up flawlessly. She set the tray down on a low table and took a seat across from Naruto and Sasuke.

“Hello, Sasuke, Naruto,” she said. “Tea?”

“Hi, Miss Guren!” Naruto said enthusiastically. How she refrained from smiling at the beautiful, enthusiastic young man, Sasuke did not know.

Guren poured their tea. “Sugar?” she asked.

“None for me, thanks,” Sasuke replied.

“Yes, please!” Naruto said.

“How many cubes?” she asked him.

“Uh… about four cubes!”

She looked mildly put out by this, but she added four cubes of sugar to his tea and stirred before handing the cup and saucer to Naruto.

“I understand you want a position here. May I ask why?” Her voice was calm and steady, but Sasuke knew she was watching for cracks in Naruto’s armor.

“Well, I lost my job, and I need another. And Dr. Uchiha… uh… Sasuke… he told me I should interview with you,” Naruto said hurriedly.

Guren arched one perfectly groomed brow. “I see. Why did you lose your other job?”

“My car broke down, and when I called in, they told me I was fired,” Naruto said. His face reddened.

“What did you do at your other job?” Guren asked.

“I worked for a landscaper! I did anything that needed doing. Digging ditches, moving rocks, trimming bushes, you name it!”

“How much did you make at that job?”

Naruto cast an uneasy look at Sasuke. “I made $18,000 a year.”

Sasuke forced himself to remain calm outwardly. No wonder Naruto had not been able to afford basic comforts.

“What did you do before that?”

“Fast food! Oh, yeah, I worked in a grocery store, as a stocker,” Naruto replied.

“Why do you think I should hire you?” Seemingly impassive, Guren stared at Naruto.

“I can’t tell you why you should hire me,” Naruto said. “I can tell you why I think I’d do a good job for you, though.”

“Go ahead.”

“I work hard! I don’t mind doing anything, and you know with my last job I had to get dirty and work hard. I’m friendly, and I get along with just about everybody, so you never have to worry about me causing drama. I don’t know everything about cleaning, but I learn fast.”

Naruto’s words might not have been the most eloquent, but they were clear and direct. Sasuke could see that Guren was impressed, despite her cold demeanor.

“We have strict standards for neatness,” she said. “Our cars, equipment, and uniforms are always spotless. Is this a standard of cleanliness you can maintain?”  
  


“Yes, ma’am!” Naruto agreed.

“If you work for me, you will make about $28,000 to $30,000 a year to begin with,” Guren told him. “Of course, you can make more, if people request your services specifically. We also provide specialty services that command higher fees. Of course, those jobs also require harder work. My most requested cleaner currently makes about $50,000. You will have a few options for healthcare insurance to choose from. ”

Naruto’s eyes grew large and round. “That’s so much money!”

“We can charge the fees we do because we excel at the service we provide. I have high expectations of all my employees, not only regarding your work, but also your professionalism and your behavior with your colleagues,” Guren went on. “Do you think you can meet those expectations?”

Naruto swallowed visibly. “Yes, I can,” he said. “I know I could make mistakes, but I’ll learn from them. I’m a hard worker, and I like people. And you can count on me for those harder jobs, because I like hard work.”

“Thank you,” Guren said. “I’d like a word with Sasuke, now, if you don’t mind.”

Naruto looked at Sasuke, then stood and walked out to the reception area.

Guren looked at Sasuke coldly. “Bringing your sub in for an interview? Really?”

Sasuke stared back, just as coldly. “Yes, really. He needs a job, and he’s capable of doing the work. Is there a problem?”  
  


“Do you know how long I’ve worked to build my reputation?” Guren asked. “It may seem as if this is a simple maid service, but people trust us to go into their homes. I can’t have someone shiftless or unreliable here. Nor can I afford to hire drug users or petty thieves.”

Sasuke seethed with indignation. “Naruto is none of those things. He is a hardworking person who was unjustly fired. He wants to work honestly for his earnings. I know some of your employees, Guren. It would seem they’d benefit from his influence.”

Guren smirked. “Do you know how many of my employees are submissives from our club? I’m not running a home for wayward subs, here, Sasuke, this is a business. Are you willing to vouch for this boy?”

“Yes,” Sasuke said coolly. “Why else would he be here?”

Guren rolled her eyes. “Because you want someone from the lifestyle to keep an eye on your submissive?”

The accusation crawled under Sasuke’s skin and inflamed him. “He doesn’t need anyone keeping an eye on him,” he snapped. “If I didn’t trust him, he would not be in my life, and I would not have brought him here.”

“Then he’s hired. Don’t expect me to report back to you about his time at work,” Guren said shortly. She rose and showed Sasuke to the door.

In the reception area, Naruto sat jiggling his leg. When Sasuke and Guren entered, he stood up straight and tall.

“You have the job,” Guren told him.

“Thank you!” Naruto said, beaming. “Thank you so much! I’ll work really hard, just wait and see!”

“I want you to understand that I take the work I do very seriously,” she said sharply. “Part of the reason I’m hiring you is because Sasuke vouched for you. Be sure you are worthy of the faith he put in you.”

“I’ll do my best,” Naruto said, looking at Sasuke seriously.

“When can you start?”

“Tomorrow!” Naruto said eagerly.

“Naruto,” Sasuke reminded him, “you have a meeting tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah,” Naruto said, somewhat dejectedly. “I can start the day after tomorrow!”

“Be here at seven in the morning,” Guren told him. “I don’t tolerate lateness.”

Naruto did not walk so much as he bounced as he and Sasuke went back to Sasuke’s car. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” he cried. “Thanks so much, Sasuke! I never thought I’d get a job making so much money!”

“It’s nothing,” Sasuke said uncomfortably. He had done very little—he had asked an acquaintance for an interview. Guren’s admonishments had angered him. Naruto had the right to feel that he was being hired on his own merits, not Sasuke’s influence.

“Nothing?” Naruto shouted in disbelief. “ _Nothing?_ I thought my life was over yesterday." Sasuke nearly fell backwards when Naruto barreled into him and tightened his arms around him. He peppered Sasuke’s face with kisses before he remembered where they were. He fell back, embarrassed.

“Thank you so much,” Naruto said with feeling. “I’m gonna make you so proud of me.”

_I already am,_ Sasuke thought. _I wish you knew how proud I am._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK. 
> 
> So, to clear the air, first, don't do wax play unless you KNOW wtf you're doing. Most people don't. And unfortunately, thanks to marketing of "BDSM beginner kits" and some really unfortunate porn, it's becoming more common for vanilla people to experiment with this kind of play. Like Sasuke hinted at, all kinds of variables influence how hot wax is. Not all candles are the same. Nor is dipping your finger into the melted wax of a candle a good way to know how hot it is going to be on your or your submissive's less-exposed skin (and if a dominant suggests that it is, tell them to pour it on their most sensitive skin, first, which I guarantee is not their fingertips). This is not "beginning bdsm," it's a kind of play that you should only undertake when you have researched extensively, had mentoring, and know what kind of materials you're playing with. Sorry for judging porn--but frankly, in an era where plenty of people have access to extreme porn but not so much access to valid sexual health education, there's a huge problem that needs acknowledgement. I'm not advocating censorship, but better education needs to occur. 
> 
> I'll stress again that not all masochists or lifestylers are scarred or traumatized or suffering from anxiety. It can happen, and it can overlap with play in some dangerous ways if people are not aware of what's going on. 
> 
> I'm curious what you will all make of Sasuke's actions in this chapter. Are they benign? Are they harmful, even if well-intentioned? Are they ignorant? And where do you think this will take his relationship with Naruto? 
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has left such thoughtful comments. I have a slew I need to respond to on the last chapter; I will get to it, I promise! Some things I'd like to say: 
> 
> Most of you were uncomfortable with the humiliation scene. I don't blame you at all. That is a hard kink to adjust to if you aren't already oriented towards it. It is hard to watch and hard to read about. It was honestly hard to write, as well. It's well and fine for a dom/me and a sub to play with those things if they're both comfortable. But when one of them isn't, it begins to feel dirty and gross. I was so happy to see so many of you point out that dom/mes need aftercare, too; that is so true! 
> 
> This chapter includes some things that people in a bdsm relationship should know about each other; specifically, psychiatric state and ability to adhere to treatment. At least, that's my opinion. Of course, it's hard to talk about these things point-blank. 
> 
> This chapter was initially meant to inlcude more. So I guess it'll bleed over into the next chapter, because this beyotch needed to end. In the next, you'll learn a little more about Sasuke's background, a little more about his relationship with Kakashi. Like this one, there isn't much play (sorry!), but it's building up to the end. Which will be at about chapter 11. Seeing how these past two chapters spun out of my control, though, who knows what that really means? 
> 
> I've been so encouraged by the kind comments and response to this story. If you'd like to ask me more personal questions about lifestyle or what have you, message me at yo-aloe-vera on Tumblr and I'll be happy to point you to some good sources of information. 
> 
> Thank you, lovely readers, for making my time on ao3 so enjoyable! <3


	9. Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke and Naruto discuss Naruto's psychiatric issues, and Anko has words with Sasuke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> t/cw: Discussion of psychiatric issues, discussion of dangerous play early on in the chapter. Letting you know so you can prepare yourself or nope out if it that bothers you.

“It’s alright. Everything is alright, Naruto. Look at me.”

Sasuke had one hand on Naruto’s chest, the other on his face. The terrified eyes of his submissive moved over Sasuke’s face without recognition.

“Naruto. _Kurama!”_

Naruto took several shuddering breaths. His haunted eyes gradually focused on Sasuke clearly.

“It was a dream,” Sasuke said softly.

“Master?” The little-boy voice was back again, along with the knot of pain that twisted Sasuke’s insides.

“Yes, Naruto. I’m right here.” Sasuke placed both hands on the sides of Naruto’s face. “Can you hear me?”  
  


Naruto nodded. He still looked terrified.

“Can you breathe with me?”

Naruto looked at him trustingly, and Sasuke walked him through the patterned breathing exercises he had learned as a young boy. Gradually, the younger man settled down. Sasuke gave him half of a klonopin and eased him down to sleep again.

Naruto had wakened him with screams just a few hours after Sasuke had fallen asleep. He found Naruto staring straight ahead, still screaming, completely unaware of his surroundings. He was glad, now, that he had insisted that Naruto drive back to the loft after retrieving his car from the dealership. Sasuke had felt selfish; he questioned whether it was for his own peace of mind more than Naruto’s well-being. After Naruto’s night terrors, he was relieved to know that Naruto was not on his own.

He scrolled through his phone and located the numbers of the on-call emergency physicians. With a few quick texts, he arranged to swap his next shifts. It would mean working three 12-hour shifts back-to-back later on, but he was too concerned about Naruto, now, to leave him alone. His work schedule arranged, he went back to bed and tried to sleep.

When he woke again, he smelled something cooking. He groggily threw off his covers and walked out into the living area. Naruto was standing over the stove, his brow furrowed and his tongue stuck out.

“What are you doing?” Sasuke asked in bewilderment.

“You didn’t eat before bedtime, so I thought you’d be hungry when you woke up,” Naruto said after a moment. “You like omelettes, don’t ya? You seem like you’d like omelettes.”

Sasuke rubbed his face blearily and sat at the bar that separated the living space from the kitchen. Naruto set a plate in front of him. On it was a perfectly-folded omelette topped with fresh, diced tomatoes.

“I know you like tomatoes, because you ate mine when I took ‘em off my taco thingy the other day,” Naruto said, grinning. “Oh! Shit. Sorry, Master. I mean, oh, bother. I gotta fix the tea!”

Sasuke watched, feeling as if he were caught in a fever dream, as Naruto bustled around his kitchen. He cut a piece of omelette and lifted it to his mouth. He was shocked at its texture and taste; he had assumed that Naruto couldn’t find his way around the kitchen, other than making tea. Speaking of which…

Naruto set a cup in front of him, then a creamer pitcher Sasuke had forgotten he owned. He strained the tea, not into the cup, but the creamer pitcher, then poured it into Sasuke’s cup.

“Uh… I woke up a few hours ago, and I couldn’t go back to sleep, and I started reading about tea, because you like it so much, and what I read said that the right way to do it was to pour it into something called a ‘fair cup,’ you know, so every cup is equal, but you didn’t have one of those, so I found this little pitcher…”

“Naruto,” Sasuke interrupted.

The boy looked up at him anxiously.

“Thank you,” Sasuke told him. “It’s all perfect.”

Naruto grinned broadly. “Thanks, Master!”

Sasuke was halfway through his omelette when he realized Naruto was not eating. “Did you eat already?” he asked.

Naruto shifted awkwardly. “No, Sir. But I read that the submissive is always supposed to wait for the dominant to eat.”

“Where did you read that?” Sasuke asked.

“This website I found.”

“That’s nonsense,” Sasuke said plainly. “Did I give you any instructions to that effect?”

“No, Sir.”

“Then, from now on, you eat when I eat. Understood?” Sasuke tried to picture what websites Naruto was frequenting; he had no doubt stumbled upon a consensual slavery/total power exchange site. “If you come across any other information you aren’t certain about, you’re to ask me. Website authors are not in charge of our relationship.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Make yourself something to eat,” he urged.

Naruto hurriedly made scrambled eggs and took a seat beside Sasuke.

“Where did you learn to make omelettes like this?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto beamed. “Well, I had to work at this diner, and I really sucked at omelettes, but this old lady who worked there showed me how to make ‘em just right. And now, they’re my favorite things to make!”

“But not to eat?” Sasuke asked, looking pointedly at the eggs on Naruto’s plate.

“I like scrambled eggs for myself. Scrambled eggs with cheese, but you didn’t have any, so just eggs.”

“I don’t like cheese,” Sasuke admitted.

“You’re crazy. Cheese is the best thing on earth, except for ramen,” Naruto asserted.

“It all smells spoilt to me, and it turns my stomach,” Sasuke said. “I’ll pass.”

“I can’t even imagine not liking cheese!” Naruto said. “No offense, Master, but your taste buds are damaged.”

Sasuke smiled. He was not accustomed to so much noise when he woke, and never conversation. Somehow, it was pleasant. Naruto’s little acts of thoughtfulnes reminded him of his childhood, when his mother gave him fresh tomatoes or made his favorite meals. Naruto had even delved into what was, for most Americans, esoteric tea serving rituals. Sasuke had always enjoyed that hobby privately, as a memory of his mother.

He wondered if Kakashi might not be right, if it might be possible to sustain their relationship as dom and sub while exploring something more intimate. Naruto was in his sacrosanct space, a space he never opened up to any other, and it felt just right.

The weight of Naruto’s precarious mental health stood between them, though. Sasuke regretted his anger over Naruto's self-inflicted burns. He had not felt so out-of-control in years, so frightened and powerless. Naruto needed much more than his anger, though. He deserved more. He shoved his plate away and turned to his companion slowly.

“We need to talk about what’s been going on with you,” he said softly.

Naruto stared down at his plate.

“Would you please look at me?” Sasuke requested.

Naruto heaved a sigh and slowly raised his head. “I know what I did was dumb. I really do. I’m sorry, Master. I won’t do it again.”

Sasuke shook his head. “It’s not just about that. We need to have some basic rules for discussing things like this.”

Naruto looked panicked. “I’ll take my medicine, and you know I’m going to therapy.”

“That’s all very well,” Sasuke said irritably, “but what happens if you have another setback?”

Naruto’s eyes filled with tears. “I… I won’t. I’ll control it. I won’t let it get that bad again, I swear it.”

Sasuke shook his head. “You can’t promise that. I don’t know what your psychiatrist diagnosed you with, but if it’s what I’m thinking, you can expect to have break-through symptoms sometimes.”

“I’m just… broken,” Naruto said. “I try, OK? I try really hard.”

Sasuke put his hand on Naruto’s shoulder. “Having an anxiety disorder or depression doesn’t make you weak, and denying that you’re struggling doesn’t make you strong. If something is affecting your life in an important way, I need to know so I won’t ask too much of you. I won’t think less of you. Ever.”

Naruto licked his lips “The doctor says I have some kind of distress. Post trauma…”

“Post-traumatic stress disorder?” Sasuke offered.

“Yeah, that’s the one. And that I have anxiety. He says… the anxiety is causing depression, or the depression is causing the anxiety. He told me to try the medicine. But I couldn’t get it filled, because, you know.”

“We need to be in agreement about how to handle things like this in the future,” Sasuke said. “You were right to call me. I’ll always try to answer, but you know how my work is. We need to have a backup plan if you can’t reach me.”

Naruto palled. “I… don’t know anybody else in this city,” he said.

“Then come directly to the hospital. Call an Uber if you need to.”

“I don’t have ins…” Naruto began.

“I will ensure that you never see a bill. Things can’t progress to the point they did the last time.”

Naruto looked up at Sasuke. “Okay. But Master, why do you care so much? You told me that this isn’t romantic or… whatever. Why do you do so much for me?”

Sasuke swallowed down his discomfort. “Do I need to be sexual or romantic with you to care what happens to you?”

Naruto seemed to still be confused. He looked at Sasuke, his eyes full of questions. “Do you?” he asked quietly.

“Do you have to ask?” Sasuke responded. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

He slipped his finger under the collar around Naruto’s neck and felt his pulse, strong and fast, beneath the warm skin. “You’re wearing my collar. You wouldn’t be if I didn’t.”

It was the closest he could come to admitting to Naruto just how much he felt for him. He could not express to the young man how horrified he had been to find him burned and panicking, or how those burns had forced his mind down so many dark and unhappy alleys. Or how, when he saw Naruto go too far, he wondered just how much farther he could go, and how Sasuke did not want to imagine a world where he was not there to light it up with his laughter.

Tears sprung into Naruto’s eyes, and he swiped at them furiously. “Master,” he said, his voice soft and tentative, “could you please… could you hold me?”

Sasuke nodded. He took Naruto’s hand and walked him to the sofa, and when they sat, he bundled him into his arms.

“The only time I feel safe…” Naruto choked out. He shut his eyes tightly, unable to finish.

“I understand,” Sasuke murmured, because he did. He understood feeling safe with only one person.

He stroked Naruto’s hair as he cried against his pajama shirt. Sasuke wanted to surround him with safety. The past two days, his eyes had been opened to just how little security there was in Naruto’s life.

Sasuke lost track of the time as they sat, Naruto slowly calming in his arms. The questions he had not asked before, the questions he really _should_ have asked, filled his mind.

“Tell me about the person who branded you,” he said.

Naruto groaned

“Please,” Sasuke added.

“Um. I… well. I moved here. I didn’t know anybody. I got on a dating site,” Naruto awkwardly began.

“This guy… he started showing up in my DMs. He seemed normal enough.”

“How old was he?” Sasuke asked.

“Uh, he said he was 38? I think he was a little older than that. I didn’t mind,” Naruto said. “He started asking me little questions, you know, where I worked, what I did in my free time. And then he asked to meet.”

Sasuke’s throat tightened painfully as he imagined it unfold—the older man looking for a gullible, young thing to hook up with.

“He thought I was… beautiful. That’s what he said. Nobody ever said that,” Naruto admitted.

Sasuke closed his eyes and counted backwards from 100 in his mind. The world was truly an unjust place, if the first person to ever tell Naruto those things was a lecher on the internet.

“We met up. Uh. Yeah, you probably don’t wanna know about that,” Naruto mumbled.

Sasuke did not want to know, but he needed to. “For sex?” he asked.

Naruto nodded. “We met at hotels. And he was happy, y’know, when I liked it rough. He told me he could tell I was a true masochist. He’d been waiting for somebody like me for a long time, he said. I thought things were good. I thought… it’s dumb. I know it’s dumb. But I thought he really cared about me.”

“He never brought you to his house?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto shook his head. “No. When he asked if I wanted his brand, I was really excited. I thought somebody really understood me and… and… wanted me. I thought it was a commitment, you know what I mean? We met at this cabin in a state park. You know, so nobody could hear if I screamed. He found a cattle brand at a flea market that had his initials on it. He was really happy.”

Sasuke’s fists clenched and his teeth ground against each other. That man had led Naruto out into the woods, far away from adequate emergency care, and used a secondhand cattle brand to mutilate him. He had never even allowed Naruto into his home. He was probably married, Sasuke thought angrily.

“And?” Sasuke ground out. “What happened then?”

“He heated the brand up on this little camping stove until it was really hot. He told me to lie down on my stomach, and he put his knee in my back so I wouldn’t squirm.” Sasuke trembled with anger as Naruto spoke. “I didn’t scream too much,” Naruto said proudly. “He put sugar on it so it would scar right.”  
  


“None of that should have happened,” Sasuke said, as neutrally as he could. “Did you tell him it was getting infected?”

“Well, I told him it was hurting more and more. After a few days, it hurt worse than it did when he put the brand on me. He told me it was normal. When I told him I thought I needed a doctor, he blocked me.”

Sasuke looked down at Naruto. “Listen to me, Naruto,” he said tensely, “no matter what happens with us, I want you to promise me that you will never play with a person like that again. You aren’t… you’re not an object to be branded carelessly, and you aren’t to be left behind when you’re hurt. You deserve to be taken care of. No matter what kind of pain you ask for, you deserve to be cared for. That man didn’t deserve you.”

Naruto squeezed him tightly and burrowed against his shoulder. Sasuke clasped him and buried his nose in his hair. 

"Promise me. Promise me you won't do things with a person like that again," Sasuke demanded.

"I promise," Naruto said, and his voice was strong, and deep, and resolute. 

Sasuke would have held Naruto for the rest of the day if he could have. He hesitantly got up so that they could bathe and dress. He had been foolish, not asking Naruto more about his medication regimen or the diagnosis from the psychiatrist. He had not wanted to treat Naruto as if they were in a total power exchange or a marriage; he had wanted him to exercise some freedoms. Yet Sasuke had known Naruto was troubled from the beginning.

He began to see that Kakashi was right; in his efforts to avoid emotional entanglements and deny his feelings, his judgment had become less acute. He had left it to Naruto to come to him if things were amiss, failing to understand why he might not.

“I’d like to go with you when you see Dr. Mitarashi today,” he told Naruto.

“Yeah, I mean, yes, Sir,” Naruto agreed. “But can I drive?”

Naruto looked at him so expectantly that Sasuke readily agreed. They got into the used car Sasuke had helped him buy and drove towards Anko’s practice.

Sasuke put his foot down reflexively for perhaps the dozenth time. He regretted agreeing to let Naruto drive them. “You are going too fast,” he clipped out.

“Yeah, sorry, Master! My old car, you had to lay down on the gas to get it to go! I’m not used to this!” Naruto looked frazzled. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

Sasuke breathed a sigh of gratitude when Naruto pulled the car to a stop at Anko’s practice. He collected the frayed ends of his nerves and composed himself before turning to his submissive.

“You need to tell Dr. Mitarashi what happened the other day,” he said.

Naruto looked out the window. “All right,” he agreed. “I will.”

The session ended more quickly than the first one had. Naruto came out of Anko’s office, red-eyed and pale.

“Sasuke, a word?” Anko said.

Sasuke looked uneasily at Naruto. He really did not want to leave him alone right now. Nevertheless, he followed Anko into her office and took a seat.

“Can you explain to me what your relationship with Naruto is?” Anko asked, point-blank.

“He’s my submissive,” Sasuke said.

Anko rolled her eyes. “I knew that. What I don’t know is why you’re buying him suits and cars and setting him up on job interviews.”

Sasuke frowned. “He needed those things.”

“A lot of young people need those things,” Anko said. “Are you going to fix all of them up with new cars and suits?”

“Naruto is my submissive,” Sasuke said, as if that explained everything. He knew it did not.

“How many dominants do these things for their submissives when they are not in a romantic liaison?”

Sasuke scowled at Anko. “He needed help. He was fired for no good reason. He had no car, and he had no way of getting either another job or another form of transportation. You know, the things people like us take for granted.”

Anko stared at him piercingly. “The world is harsh and unforgiving. We know that. But that young man looks at you as the perfect dominant. He sees in you a father figure, if I’m being blunt. He’s also infatuated with you. These things you’ve done for him are things that family members provide for each other. These are things that couples provide for each other. Dominants who are training a submissive? Not so much, except for some of the untoward ones.”

“You’re accusing me of being untoward with Naruto?” Sasuke asked in disbelief.

“No, I’m not, but I won’t discount the possibility. We know each other, Sasuke, and we have a long history of mutual respect. Make no mistake, though; regardless of who is paying the bill, _Naruto_ is my client, and I am obligated to consider his interests ahead of your feelings.”

“Never once,” Sasuke said coldly, “have I intruded on your sessions with Naruto or asked you to influence him. He’s here because I was concerned for him. I did not provide him a car or a suit because I wanted something from him. I did so because he was frankly in a conundrum, and I could assist. Don’t make assumptions about me, Anko.”

Anko leaned forward with her elbows on her desk. “I’m not assuming anything. Your actions are noble, Sasuke. What happens, though, if Naruto thinks he owes you for them? What happens if he draws the conclusion that he can’t succeed without you there to bail him out? You owe it to him, and to yourself, to think about these things.”

“He owes me nothing,” Sasuke said thinly.

Anko bore down. “He needs more than you. He needs friends and outside interests independent of you and the lifestyle. The attachment he is developing to you is not entirely healthy—for either of you.”

“Noted,” Sasuke said shortly.

When he found Naruto in the waiting area, he had washed his face and was his usual, smiling self.

“Lunch?” Sasuke asked.

“Yes, Sir!” Naruto said enthusiastically. Sasuke was aware of Anko watching them as they left the offices.

Sasuke took Naruto back to the pancake restaurant at his request. He did not eat as much today as he had the first time they visited. He chattered away about his new job, and how he hoped the other workers would like him.

“They should, y’know! Most people do!” It was easy to return the grin that spread across his boyish face.

“It would be good for you to make friends there,” Sasuke agreed. Anko’s words niggled at him.

“Yeah! New job, new friends, it’s gonna be great! Soon, I’ll be able to take you out to eat, Mas-I mean, Sasuke!”

Sasuke smiled. “I’ll be delighted.”

“One day,” Naruto said with twinkle in his eye, “I’ll be like that one lady Guren told us about who makes the most money on the crew. And then, I’ll buy you some of that really good, expensive tea you like so much. The kind that has to go rotten before it’s sold.”

“Rotten?” Sasuke laughed. “Do you mean fermented?”

“Same thing, isn’t it?”

“Not quite,” Sasuke said, still laughing.

“Just wait. I’m gonna get you the most fermented tea you can possibly buy. I promise,” Naruto continued.

“I eagerly await the day,” Sasuke said. “Just pay for what you need, first.”

“I will. I’ll have so much money I can have a nice apartment, where I can grow plants, and I’ll have enough to buy your fermented tea,” Naruto rambled.

Sasuke’s heart broke a little when he considered that, if Naruto earned the maximum income with Guren, he would still not even make a quarter of Sasuke’s salary. Still, he was talking about having an apartment with windows as if that were a rare luxury, and he was contemplating what he could buy for Sasuke.

“Naruto,” he said suddenly.

“Yeah? I mean, yes?” Naruto answered.

“You understand that you don’t owe me anything, don’t you?”

“Huh?” Naruto asked, perplexed.

“You owe me nothing. You owe no one anything. If someone does something for you, ever, assume they do it because they want to. You don’t owe anyone for the things they choose to do for you,” Sasuke said firmly. "You don't owe them sex or obedience. You don't even owe them your time."

“All right. I don’t owe anybody anything,” Naruto repeated. “But I’m still gonna get you some tea some day. Just ‘cause I wanna.”

“That’s the only reason you are ever to do anything—because you want to,” Sasuke said.

“Yes, Si-Sasuke.” Naruto beamed at him, and Sasuke wondered what he was going to do about the boy who had upended his world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Branding *is* a thing, and you can find examples of it on the internet. Once again, it is never, ever to be undertaken by someone who has gotten their information from novels or a few internet searches. NEVER should it be done the way it is to cattle. I've said that before. You won't even end up with a proper brand, in most cases, just a lump of melted looking skin and keloids. 
> 
> So what is Sasuke to do about the complicated role he's come to play in Naruto's life? What do you think about Anko's admonishments? 
> 
> I know I'd previously said "Ten chapters!" Nah, it's going to be 11-14 chapters. :D I can't keep my word when it comes to word counts and chapter numbers. I'm so sorry.


	10. I'm There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto's job opens new doors for him, and he invites Sasuke on an outing.

“Where did you find this boy?” Guren asked Sasuke. He had debated calling her to see how Naruto was performing, but she ended up calling him first.

“The club,” Sasuke said simply.

“I was wondering what was so special about this kid that the great Sasuke Uchiha would give him a collar, but I’m beginning to see it,” she said.

“I take it he is doing well at his new post? No drug use or petty thievery?” Sasuke said somewhat snidely.

“You won’t guilt me about protecting my company,” Guren retorted. “He’s exceeded all my expectations. The staff argue over which crew he’s going to be placed with every day. They say he makes work fun. The customers rave about him. He’s blunt and forward, but he’s also charming, thankfully.”

“I’m glad to know it’s working out well,” Sasuke said.

“It’s better than working out,” Guren went on. Sasuke was somewhat surprised. Guren was one of the most self-absorbed, taciturn people he knew. She rarely effused about anything or anyone.

“I’m considering beginning a new service and placing Naruto in charge of it,” she said. “I’ll send him to some comportment exercises, first, but I have a feeling it will go quite well.”

“A new service? What kind of service? You’ll be paying him supervisory wages, I assume,” Sasuke asked.

“Landscape maintenance services. Naruto is incredibly knowledgeable about gardening and horticulture. Many of my customers have already begun to pay for extra consultation fees. Yes, Sasuke, that translates to higher earnings for your delightful little sub.”

Sasuke bristled. Naruto was far more than his “little sub.” “Glad to hear it. My reputation remains intact, I hope.”

“Don’t be bitchy, Sasuke. I told you before, I'm running a business. I hired Naruto because I appreciated his drive, but this business attracts some untrustworthy people. Your recommendation helped tip the scales in his favor,” Guren told him.

“I hope you see that he has far more going for him than my recommendation.”

“Did I not just say that?” Guren said irritably. “It’s working wonderfully. Thanks.”

“So happy to have been of service,” Sasuke said sarcastically.

Guren hung up without another word.

Naruto had now been in Guren’s employ for three and a half weeks, and so far, he seemed to love it. For the first time since taking Sasuke’s collar, he requested a rain check on an agreed-upon play session; his coworkers had asked him out for dinner and drinks, and Sasuke urged him to accept.

Anko’s words had left a deep impression upon Sasuke. He knew that Naruto needed some distance from him, as well as friends of his own. The loneliness, the poor self-esteem, and the utter isolation were not sustainable if he were to become healthy and happy.

Sasuke keenly felt the space Naruto left. He missed their playtime, and he missed the snuggles and the kisses they shared afterwards. He missed the strident voice and loud laughter. It had been hard to let him leave the loft and go back to his own pursuits, hard to pull back the hand he wanted to extend. Naruto checked in with him daily to keep him apprised of his mood and his self-care, but between his new friends and Sasuke’s work schedule, there was little time for anything else.

An internal audit of the emergency department helped Sasuke focus his attentions away from Naruto’s absence.

“The auditor is really cute,” Sakura told him when he arrived for his shift. “I wonder if he’s married? I wonder if he’s into girls? So many questions!”

“I wonder if he’s into being sexually harassed during the most tedious job ever,” Neji sniped.

“Shut up and let a girl dream!” Sakura said with an exaggerated pout.

“We all know you’re waiting on that bureaucrat-charming to sweep you away and make you the princess of Regulation Land,” Neji piled on, “but between your thirst and Uchiha’s death glare, he’s going to fail us preemptively just to escape. This is supposed to be a hospital, not a haunt.”

Sakura punched Neji and said something Sasuke could not hear. He ignored their banter. He walked out to meet the compliance specialist for his interview, only to stop dead in his tracks.

“Sasuke Uchiha,” the auditor said. “Good to see you again.”

Sasuke looked at the man standing in front of him. Age had treated him kindly; he could easily have passed for 25, though Sasuke knew for a fact he was much older. The honey-blond hair of the boy had become a dishwater shade that suited the man. The grey eyes were as bright and serious as ever.

“Emmet,” Sasuke said. “Likewise.”

“Audits are never any fun for anyone. Even me, and I’m getting paid to do it—so let’s get this over with, shall we?” Emmet said good-naturedly.

Sasuke answered all of Emmet’s questions. The auditor checked his answers against the records. When he had satisfied all his queries, Emmet looked up at him and smiled.

“It’s been many years,” he said.

“It has,” Sasuke agreed.

“Those years have been good to you, it seems.”  
  


“To you, as well.”

Emmet looked at him pensively. “When the audit is completed, before I have to leave town again, might you be available for coffee or drinks?”

A bitter taste filled Sasuke’s mouth. He had always wondered what he would do if this day arrived. There was much he would have liked to say to Emmet; so much of it, though, was buried beneath the armor he had built around him in the intervening years. Yet he gave Emmet his number and went on about his business.

He finished his shift and went home, trying to put Emmet out of his mind. At 9 AM, Naruto texted with apologies for checking in late. He let Sasuke know that he had taken his medication and eaten a good breakfast. Sasuke never muted his phone or ignored text alerts at home, anymore; he wanted to be there immediately if Naruto found himself in a dark place again.

**Good boy,** he texted back. **How is work?**

_:-) :-) :-),_ came the first reply. Sasuke chuckled to himself.

_It’s great Master I have so much to tell you!!!_

**I’m proud of you,** Sasuke began to type. He quickly backspaced. He did not want Naruto to regard him as a father-figure or someone whose pride he had to earn. That had already been accomplished.

**I’m looking forward to it,** he texted instead. He got another half-dozen smiley faces and a thumbs-up emoji in response.

He went back to sleep immediately. He woke, several hours later, when his messenger app buzzed again.

_Hello, Sasuke. This is Emmet. I saw the department schedule. It seems you aren’t working tonight. Would you be available for drinks?_

**What time?**

_About eight-ish. Frangipani’s, about a block from the hospital?_

**See you there.**

Eight-ish would come too soon. It would simultaneously come about 16 years too late.

Emmet was already there when Sasuke arrived, sitting in a snug in the back of the bar. He stood to greet Sasuke with an odd smile and a handshake. Sasuke took his place, wondering how the next hour of his life would progress.

“Shall I get our drinks?” Emmet said.

“Scotch on the rocks,” Sasuke said.

Emmet rolled his eyes and grinned. “I’m wondering what, if anything, has changed about you, because so far, you’re the same, old Sasuke.”

Sasuke winced. He hoped Emmet was wrong.

Emmet brought their drinks back. “I guess,” he said as he slid back into the snug, “I should state up front that this is not a date. I’m engaged.”  
  


“I did not assume it was,” Sasuke said wryly. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks!” Emmet beamed. “I know that’s an awkward way to phrase things, but I wanted to talk to you tonight, and I didn’t want to lead you on or misrepresent things in any way.”  
  


“It’s appreciated,” Sasuke said. “I don’t date, anyway.”

“At all?” Emmet asked, surprised. “You’re young, you’re handsome, and you’ve got your life together. Why on earth wouldn’t you date?”

Sasuke shrugged. “It doesn’t interest me.”

“Fair enough,” Emmet said. He smiled and sighed. “I’ve looked you up hundreds of times over the years, I’m not going to lie. I just never could bring myself to call.”

“I understand,” Sasuke said. He had never allowed himself to check in on Emmet after they parted ways, even though he cast a constant shadow over Sasuke’s life.

“I was relieved when I read that you finished medical school,” Emmet told him. “I mean, it was all over the boarding school newsletter.”

Sasuke snorted. “I never sent any information to that damnable place when I left.”

“You can’t expect them to ignore your accomplishments,” Emmet said. “It makes them look good.”

“A pig doing handstands in the middle of traffic would make them look good.”

Emmet laughed. “You’re as sarcastic and cynical as ever. What’s going on with you, Sasuke? Beyond work, I mean. What do you do for fun? You said you don’t date, but was that always the case?”

“I work. I recover from work. I have a small group of acquaintances I sometimes spend time with. Whatever I did before, it couldn’t qualify as dating, and I really don’t even do that, anymore. It suits me.” Sasuke did not know why he felt so defensive of his life. It was not as if he had anything to be ashamed of; he had a draining, demanding job, and he did it well. If he wanted to hole up in his loft and only emerge for club events on his off-days, who was to blame him?

Emmet shook his head. The sad, pitying look in his eyes angered Sasuke. Was this how it was to be between them, after all these years? Had Emmet invited him out to flaunt his happy engagement and to crow over Sasuke’s limited existence?

“I feel…” Emmet began. He looked out into the bar, then back at Sasuke. “I feel I owe you.”

Sasuke squinted at him. “You don’t,” he said flatly.

“I didn’t mean to torment you the way I did when we were younger,” Emmet said softly.

Sasuke took a long, stinging drink of his scotch. “I think you have things backwards, Emmet,” he said.

Emmet sipped his wine and looked at his lap. “We were children, Sasuke.”

Thoughts of Naruto reeled through Sasuke’s mind, along with memories of the young man Emmet had once been. They were different; where Naruto was loud and brash, Emmet had always been serious and reserved. Where Naruto made himself seen, Emmet retreated to the background. Emmet had possessed a wit nearly as mordant as Sasuke’s and an exhaustive knowledge of English literature—and he would never have willingly done anything as physically demanding as landscaping. They shared many similarities, though: the poverty, the anxiety, the low self-esteem, the self-destructive impulses—Sasuke had seen it before Naruto had walked into his life.

“You were struggling. I should have considered…”

Emmet cut him off. “You were a child. So was I—but I was a very _troubled_ child. You were not and could not have been responsible for me. If the school, the counselors, and custodial adults in my life couldn’t help me, what chance did a teenage boy have?”

Sasuke’s temples throbbed. He had spent the years since high school working to distance himself from who he had been back then. He had spent so much time trying to make himself better. He had built his life around that. That was the entire point of his life—to be better than he had been as a young man, to be responsible, to be controlled with others. How could Emmet dare to undo 16 years of effort?

“I shouldn’t have left like I did,” Sasuke said. “You didn’t deserve it. I was…”

“Scared?” Emmet offered.

Sasuke nodded. It was still hard to admit.

“That’s understandable. It would have been strange if you hadn’t been.” He reached across the table and took Sasuke’s hand. He squeezed gently. “You were not to blame for what I did, Sasuke. I’ve wanted to find you all these years to tell you that. I was just too much of a coward until now.”

Back in his loft that night, Sasuke sat on the balcony staring over the city. He had never thought he would see Emmet again. He had never looked for him, afraid of what he would find. Yet Emmet, as it turned out, was alive. He was happy and successful. Emmet did not blame him for the horrendous things that happened between them, things for which Sasuke had spent the last 16 years blaming himself.

It should have been freeing.

It was anything but.

_Master! Hey! I took my medicine today. I ate cereal and a boiled egg for breakfast and we’re going to a rich old lady’s house to clean the fish pond._

Sasuke yawned and smiled as he read Naruto’s text. It was early, 7 AM, and it was just about bedtime for the doctor. It had been a few days since his meeting with Emmet.

**Don’t fall in.**

_Ur so mean. I wont fall in! Guess what? I won an award! I can bring one friend rapeling with me on Saturday u want to go?  
_

Sasuke squinted at the screen, trying to decipher Naruto’s spelling.

**Rapeling?**

_Its where you use ropes to jump down a mountain_

Sasuke laughed.

**Do you mean rappelling?**

_Thats it! U want to go?_

Sasuke ran his hands through his hair. They had made plans to attend a lifestyle retreat together in a month, but whatever space Sasuke needed and intended to place between them, he wanted to see him sooner.

**Yes. What time?**

_Yay!_

_Meet me at 7 in morning at my apartment_

**See you then.**

Sasuke swore softly as he circled the block. Naruto had moved into a new apartment, and he was eager to show it off. It was in a nicer part of the city, but parking was more complicated. He found a parking space across the street from the building and pulled in. Fortunately, Naruto had a residents’ only garage to park in—Sasuke worried far less about him being mugged or otherwise accosted, here.

All around, the new complex was a giant step forward for Naruto. It was newly renovated, and it had access codes for the parking spaces and the building. It was attractively maintained—a far cry from the rickety slum he had last inhabited. Sasuke was proud that Naruto had earned himself something so much better so quickly.

He entered the code Naruto had texted him when he reached the entrance of the building and made his way up the stairs to the third-floor unit. Naruto opened the door before he even knocked. He looked happier than he had the last time Sasuke had seen him.

“Hey!” he cried. “Come in!”

Sasuke came inside and took a look around. The old futon and a single bar stool comprised the only furnishings. Plants, though, abounded. The space was sunny and well-lit, befitting someone like Naruto. He smiled, thinking about the day in the pancake restaurant when Naruto had talked about getting an apartment where he could grow plants.

“Nice apartment,” Sasuke said.

Naruto grinned happily. “It’s better than the old one, right? I still had a bunch of time on my lease, but one of the ladies at work told me the landlords weren’t doing things right. So I went right to ‘em and told ‘em I was leaving because they weren’t! They even gave me back my deposit!”

“That was smart, Naruto.” This was a new side of Naruto, a self-preserving, self-advocating side, and Sasuke could not have been more pleased to see it.

“Look, Master! I have a balcony!” He grabbed Sasuke’s hand and pulled him through a pair of double doors.

The view was unremarkable—the balcony looked over the parking garage—but it was a safe place to sit and enjoy the sunlight. Plants dangled from planters in the eaves of the balcony and grew from pots in the corners. Naruto had only been here a week, but he had already made it a home.

“You have a gift for horticulture, it seems,” Sasuke said with a smile.

“That’s the stuff about plants, right? Miss Guren was talking about that. Hey, guess what? I get my own crew, soon! We’re gonna help people keep their gardens nice! I’m gonna get paid more, too!”

Naruto smiled so brightly it was almost blinding.

Emmet’s face floated past Sasuke’s mind. The idea of years going by—years that may or may not be allotted for saying what he ought—needled at him.

“I’m proud of you,” he said hoarsely.

“You should be!” Naruto crowed. The validation obviously affected him, though; he stood taller, smiled (if it was possible) even brighter. “You really like it?” he asked, bouncing from foot to foot.

“I do,” Sasuke said honestly. “Is it a studio, then?”

“Yeah! But look, Master, I have a space for a washer and dryer!” Naruto darted back in and slid back a pair of louvered doors to the left of the kitchen area, showing a hookup for a stacked laundry unit.

“I can rent the set for just $50 extra a month on my rent!” Naruto went on. “I just have to wait for a unit to come available.”

“That will make life easier, I’m sure,” Sasuke said.

“I can use the apartment laundry room until then,” Naruto said. “It’s pretty nice! There’s a fancy coffee machine and a TV in there! It’s so much better than the laundromat.”

Sasuke wanted to kiss him. He wondered for a moment if Naruto would accept it if he did, then brushed the notion aside. “Are you ready for rappelling?” he asked.

“Yes, Sir! How about you?”

“As ready as I’m going to be. Have you eaten breakfast?”

“Yes, Sir. I ate a boiled egg and a piece of toast. That’s not bad, is it?” Naruto asked.

“Are you still hungry?” Sasuke asked, remembering Naruto’s appetite.

“No, Sir.”

“Then let’s go.”

Their destination was about an hour and a half north. The terrain changed as they drove; the valleys deepened, the hills became craggier and more rugged. The leaves were just beginning to change, and Sasuke was grateful to spend such a beautiful day with Naruto.

Naruto chattered the entire ride. He had signed up for a free community education course on rock climbing, and of all the students in the class, he had won a drawing for free rappelling lessons with the instructor. He had already attended a lesson on his own, but he was eager for Sasuke to share in his excitement.

He bounced between expressing his new-found love of rock climbing and rambling about work. He was excited about the new tasks Guren was giving him, and he liked his coworkers.

“Shion can get a little flirty, but that’s OK! She’s just the secretary/receptionist thingy, so I don’t have to work with her much.” “Moegi has a crush on Kumi, but she won’t tell her.” “Miss Guren isn’t _as_ scary as I thought she was, but she’s still scary.” “We had one customer, and she was so old, I was afraid she’d keel over dead! But she followed me around everywhere and tried to help!”

Sasuke listened to everything he said, happy to hear his voice, happy that it was strong and bright. Having a steady job seemed to make a difference in Naruto’s outlook—of course, he was also receiving psychiatric care and eating well on a regular basis. He wondered why Naruto had asked him to come out to his lesson, when he could have asked any of his coworkers. That Naruto would seek him out for something other than play made his mind and body tingle.

The rappelling instructor was a man in his late 20s with red hair, pale skin, and green eyes. He welcomed Naruto with a familiar little smile, then introduced himself to Sasuke as Gaara Sabaku.

Sasuke shook his hand when it was offered. He followed as Gaara led them to the cliffs, noting the how easily Gaara and Naruto spoke with each other. It was obvious that the redhead was attracted to Naruto; His serious visage softened when Naruto spoke, and his eyes sparkled. It was also clear that Naruto respected him.

Naruto now had opportunities to meet others and entertain attractions. It was happening faster than Sasuke was comfortable with, but even with the bile rising in his throat, he knew it was a good thing. Naruto deserved those opportunities. It gave him hope that, after he was finished with Sasuke, he would find someone decent, someone who respected him—someone other than an opportunist looking to prey upon a wounded boy.

“Mast- I mean- Sasuke, isn’t the view great?” Naruto turned to him on the trail.

“It is,” Sasuke agreed. “You’ve been here before?”

“Last weekend! I got my first lesson, but I’m so glad you came today! I wish I’d asked you before!”

“Thank you, Naruto. It’s really beautiful here.” It was not an exaggeration. The rolling hills, bedecked with the gentle colors of early fall, stretched out as far as the eye could see.

An older man awaited them at the point where they were to descend.

“Hey, Kankurou!” Naruto said cheerfully. The harsh-looking man quirked a smile. Seeing others respond positively to Naruto eased Sasuke’s mind and filled him with pride.

“Kankurou,” Naruto went on, “this is Sasuke! Sasuke, this is Kankurou! He’s Gaara’s brother and his business partner!”

Gara set down a duffel bag and unzipped it. “Naruto, we went over tying a Swiss seat last time. Do you think you can tie your own today?”

Naruto grinned and gave him a big thumbs-up. “You bet!”

“Do you think you can help your friend, as well?” Gaara asked, with a pointed look at Sasuke.

“Yeah, I can!” Naruto said confidently. “I’m gonna teach him!”

Sasuke looked at Naruto questioningly, but Naruto just grinned wickedly and stuck his tongue out at him. Gaara handed Naruto a coil of black webbing. Entranced, Sasuke watched as Naruto wrapped the webbing around his waist, tied it at both sides, and looped it between his legs and under his bottom.

Sasuke wet his lips unconsciously. The webbing showed off Naruto’s ass to perfection, and the way it cradled the bulge in his jeans had all sorts of highly inconvenient thoughts filtering through Sasuke’s mind.

“Good work, Naruto,” Gaara said. “Your knots are strong.”  
  


Naruto turned to Sasuke and grinned so big that his eyes nearly disappeared into his cheeks. It reminded Sasuke of the times he had responded so favorably to “Good boy” or similar praise, and he suppressed the wince caused by seeing Naruto respond so favorably to another man’s affirmation.

_This is good for him. He needs more than me,_ he told himself.

He did not have much time to think about it, because soon, Naruto was wrapping his waist, threading the webbing between his legs. The nearness was almost unbearable to Sasuke.

“Uh, M-Sasuke,” Naruto said, looking up with a blush, “You, uh… should adjust… um… _yourself.”_

“Hm?” Sasuke asked, innocently. It was his turn to blush when he realized that Naruto was instructing him to adjust his cock and balls in order for him to thread the webbing. The older man looked away with an ugly, knowing grin. Gaara watched expressionlessly with his arms folded.

“You gotta pay attention!” Naruto told him. “You’re gonna have to be able to do this on your own, y’know?”

Sasuke doubted that. He would never have considered rappelling in the first place had Naruto not asked him to come to the class. Nevertheless, he focused his attention on what Naruto was telling him, appreciating the way he spoke so confidently and his expertise in tying the knots. Sasuke knew all of the knots, but not in this context, and he soaked up Naruto’s confidence and excitement.

“Do you think you’ll remember all that, Sasuke?” Gaara asked with a little smile. Sasuke shrugged.

He took a peak down the cliff. The height was appreciable, but not daunting. Gaara went over how to attach to the anchor point and how to tie their self-tied harnesses to the ropes. Finally, he taught them how to hold the ropes and brake as they descended. They were given helmets and gloves.

“You each have a belayer at the bottom to ensure that you’re safe should something happen,” Gaara told them. “You remember what a belayer is, Naruto?”

“Yeah, I remember! They’ll keep the rope tight if we come down too fast or crazy,” Naruto said.

Gaara smiled indulgently. “In a nutshell,” he said.

Sasuke froze. He looked down again; two men awaited at the bottom, each of them wearing helmets and harnesses.

“Ready?” Naruto asked him, when the preliminaries were taken care of.

“I like to push off really hard with my feet,” Naruto told him. “I won’t go as fast as I like to go, since you’re here.”

Sasuke looked at him uncertainly. “Leave it to you to choose jumping backwards off a cliff as a hobby.”

Naruto laughed. “It’s fun, Sasuke! You’ll see!”

There was nothing left to do but jump. Sasuke used his right hand to brake. He was not as agile as Naruto, who seemed to float down the cliff face as gracefully as a spider on its silk line. He braked far more often than Naruto, and even though Naruto was obviously practicing restraint, Sasuke did not kick off with as much force.

They reached the bottom quickly and without incident, and then it was time to try again.

“Try going a little faster, Sasuke,” Naruto urged. “You’ll like it, I promise.”

Sasuke eyed him dubiously, but he complied. To his amazement, he did like it. Soon, he was descending just as fast as Naruto. It was a feeling akin to flying, Sasuke thought, and the only thing that really gave him pause was that so much of their safety depended on the two watchful men below them.

“You’re doing great!” Naruto told him several times. The encouragement was sweetly and guilelessly offered, and Sasuke warmed himself in it. He decided then and there that, regardless of how they ended, or when, he would do his best to be a friend to Naruto at all times.

The sun was drowning itself in a golden sea as they drove home. Sasuke was exhausted; he had not slept after his shift, and the physical exertion combined with the challenge of learning something new made his entire body ache. Naruto, if anything, was energized.

“How has your mood been, Naruto?” Sasuke asked as they neared their interstate exit.

Naruto was not pleased with the question, but he answered. “It’s been fine,” he said. “Lots better. I had to get used to the medicine, you know, but I’m doing great.”

Sasuke swallowed hard. “You do know that you are to call me if you find the panic unmanageable.”

“Yeah. I mean, yes, Sir. I do. I will,” Naruto vowed. He bit his lip.

“I mean it,” Sasuke pushed. “There’s nothing wrong with calling. Call me, call a friend. Don’t try to get through it alone.”

“I won’t. I promise,” Naruto said. “I’ve caused you enough problems, Master. I won’t do anything stupid again.”

Sasuke’s mood deflated. Had he given Naruto the impression that he was a problem or a burden?

“You haven’t caused me any problems.” Sasuke made every effort not to sound bitter. “It’s never a problem. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said.

“I need you to understand that,” Sasuke said fiercely. “It’s never a problem to be there for you.”

Even with his eyes on the road, he was aware of Naruto watching him.

“Thank you,” he said. When Sasuke glanced at him, he was staring at him intently, an earnest look on his face.

Sasuke was drowsy by the time they reached Naruto’s apartment complex. Still, when Naruto asked, “Master, can you come up?” Sasuke could not tell him no.

Back in the apartment, Naruto gathered three potted plants and put them in a plastic sack. “I got these just for you,” he told Sasuke, handing him the bag. “I chose some that won’t die if you forget to water them for a few days. These’ll be fine if you water them once a week, because I know you’re busy.”

Sasuke smiled as he took the sack of plants. “That’s thoughtful. Thank you.”

“Oh!” Naruto said. He dashed out to the balcony and pulled down a string hanging from the eaves. Three ethereal-looking plants were tied along its length. “These are air plants,” he told Sasuke. “They get their food from the air. They don’t need dirt to grow. All you have to do is give ‘em a little soak a few times a month. They’ll be pretty in your bathroom, don’t ya think?”

“One of them is blooming,” Sasuke said. “Are you sure you want to give this one away?”

“If I’m giving it to you, I don't mind,” Naruto said. “They’ll like the bathroom. It gets all steamy in there, it’s perfect for these. Just hang ‘em in the window thingy over your shower.”

“Thank you.” Sasuke carefully took the string of plants. They looked far too delicate to survive the care of someone like him. His chest tightened and his stomach turned.

“Are you OK, Master?” Naruto asked. He pressed his hand to Sasuke’s forehead.

“I’m fine,” Sasuke choked out.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure,” he reassured the younger man.

Naruto bit his lip and scuffed his foot against the floor. “Uh. I’ve got another few rappelling lessons. Wanna go with me again?”

The coils around Sasuke’s chest tightened. He should say no.

“You could invite one of your friends from work,” he said delicately.

Naruto frowned and drew his lips into a pout. “Well, yeah, I could, but I wanna invite you.”

Sasuke chuckled. Naruto’s smile was infectious, but his pouts were irresistible. “Same time every weekend?”

“Yeah,” Naruto said, relaxing slightly.

Even though it meant exhaustion, even though it meant spending hours doing something that only vaguely interested him, Sasuke looked at him and said, “I’m there.”

He yawned. “I need to get some sleep. Thanks for taking me rappelling. Also for the plants.” 

“You’re welcome! Thanks for coming!” Naruto saw him to the door. Before Sasuke was aware of what was happening, Naruto closed in and hurriedly kissed his cheek. He blushed a dark red. 

Sasuke stared into the warm, blue eyes. Unable to resist, he kissed Naruto's forehead and promptly fled. The place where Naruto’s lips had touched his skin tingled almost unbearably as he drove home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...  
> We have a little bit of insight, just a little, into Sasuke's past. I am not sure how I intended to combine this with the last one or two chapters, but that's how my pea-sized brain works. Sasuke is learning that Naruto has some strengths he can leverage, and he's trying to give him space to do that. Sasuke is all about control, but he doesn't like controlling others. 
> 
> I don't think what's depicted here is properly called rappelling, at least according to many, but it's what I learned rappelling to be--so please take that with a grain of salt. :D Also, tying a "Swiss seat" isn't best and safest practice, but that was how I learned, and it gives Sasuke a chance to see Naruto wrapped up to advantage. hehehe. "Rappel" is a term that is apparently used in the US and Canada--I've read that most of Europe refers to it as "abseiling?" But I've also read that there are distinct differences between those two terms. ANYWAY, in a nutshell, in the US, to rappel is to descend a height using ropes and anchors. 
> 
> I hope these two did not come across as ooc. It's kind of funny to think of two people who began a relationship as kink partners could be shy and awkward with each other in normal settings, but it happens. Also, Sasuke's mind is reeling, trying to consider what is best for Naruto, because there is a balance between giving him space and abandoning him. 
> 
> This chapter was important to me because I wanted to show that, although Naruto has a lot against him, he has a lot going for him, too. He's scrappy and independent, and he is eager to show that side of him to Sasuke. His life isn't magically all better, but it's getting brighter. There is angst ahead, but also happiness. And you'll soon see more into Sasuke's past. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for the comments you've sent! The response to this story has been so lovely and affirming, and I appreciate it tremendously. <3


	11. Cinderella, and All That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto takes Sasuke rappelling again; Sasuke has surprises for Naruto.

Sasuke rested his elbows on the bar and laid his head in his hands. He was exhausted, but for the moment he was content. The pleasant sounds of Naruto preparing breakfast lulled him into a sense of domestic warmth.

Since Sasuke had agreed to another rappelling lesson, Naruto insisted on making breakfast for the two of them. So here he was, nodding off on the breakfast stool and floating on a cloud of warm aromas and cheerful sounds.

“Hey, Master Sleepy!” Naruto said, gently shaking Sasuke’s shoulder. “Omelette with tomatoes and browned onions, no cheese!”

Sasuke looked at the plate Naruto had set in front of him. Once again, the omelette was perfectly folded, with diced tomatoes topping it. A sprig of curly parsley lay on the side. It was painfully sweet and endearing.

It tasted just as good as it looked. “Very good,” Sasuke pronounced. Naruto’s bright, childlike smile pried Sasuke’s own lips upwards. “This is easily the best omelette I’ve ever eaten.”

“Thank you, Sir!” Naruto rocked happily on his bar stool and grinned even bigger.

Butterflies swarmed in Sasuke’s stomach.

Since his last visit to the apartment, Naruto had acquired another bar stool. The logo and nameplate from his old car had been framed and hung on the wall, and he had added even more plants to his collection. One of the maintenance workers at the indoor shopping mall had taken a liking to Naruto, and he alerted him every time the foliage was changed—so Naruto’s apartment had quickly come to resemble a jungle.

Best of all, Naruto’s refrigerator was stocked with decent food. “I only eat cup ramen when I want to, now,” Naruto told him proudly.

Naruto’s energy vivified every corner and nook of the small apartment, and it filled Sasuke with relief. He was safe, he was well-fed, and even better, he was thriving.

Naruto cleaned their dishes when they finished breakfast, and Sasuke felt as if this kind of service was something he could learn to enjoy.

Sasuke cursed Naruto’s sunny good looks and endearing charm. The boy was currently poised to go face-first over an overhang—an advanced maneuver—thanks to Gaara’s belief in his abilities (or, as Sasuke believed, thanks to Gaara’s attraction to Naruto). The belayers played an even more crucial role in this technique than in others. They did not look particularly trustworthy to Sasuke, with their been-there, done-that attitude.

“Come on, Sasuke! It’ll be fun!” Naruto nagged.

It did not look like fun to Sasuke. It looked like death rising to meet you face-first. Yet here he was, allowing Gaara to kit him out for the descent. He glared at the disaffected youth in charge of managing his ropes. Said youth just grinned smugly.

Naruto, of course, went down first, causing every single muscle from Sasuke’s scalp to his toes to tense in fear. Sasuke was prepared to beat Naruto’s belayer into a pulp should he fail at his duty. Yet Naruto whooped all the way down and grinned when he was finished, and then, he smiled encouragingly to Sasuke.

“C’mon! You’re gonna love it. I know you are!” he urged.

Sasuke began his descent, and, to his surprise, found the rush of adrenaline enjoyable. It reminded him, in some ways, of the time he’d spent as a submissive and a bottom. The rush, the nerves about placing oneself in another’s hands, and the moment of surrender felt similar to intense play. It was over relatively quickly, though, and he found himself regretting that it was the last descent of the day.

They hiked back to the top, put their gear away, and bid the Sabakus goodbye, and Sasuke and Naruto leisurely walked back through the park. On the path, they encountered a young woman walking a large German shepherd.

“Look at that dog!” Naruto cried excitedly. The dog, which was already straining its leash, responded immediately to the attention. Before Sasuke knew it, Naruto had introduced himself to the dog’s owner and was squatting to play with him.

“You’re such a pretty boy!” Naruto laughed as the dog tackled him and licked his face. “You’re a sweet doggy. I wish I had a puppy like you!”

The dog’s owner traded an indulgent smile with Sasuke. Being so invested in another’s happiness was an alien feeling to Sasuke. The urge to indulge that happiness until it radiated out of every pore overwhelmed him. It felt safe and calm, and at the same time, it hurt. It was a dizzying contradiction.

Soon, the dog’s owner announced that she needed to hurry on, and Naruto reluctantly bid the German shepherd goodbye.

“I’ve always wanted a dog,” Naruto said wistfully.

“Always?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah. A dog seems like a real friend you’d have forever, y’know? There was a park I used to play in that had lots of these stray dogs in it. They liked me because if I had food, I’d share it with ‘em. They gave me something to look forward to everyday.”

As so often happened when Naruto spoke of his childhood, Sasuke felt a pinch in his chest. He should have had so much more to look forward to than feeding stray dogs in a park.

“Does your apartment allow pets?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah!” Naruto said. “I have to pay a pet deposit, but I can have just about any pet I want except for saltwater fish. But they said that’s because the tanks can leak and cause damage. One of my neighbors has a parrot! But I want a pet I can walk.”

“That leaves monitor lizards, primates, and dogs,” Sasuke said sardonically.

“Hm, I’d have to go with the dog,” Naruto answered with a laugh.

“If you were to have a dog, could you take care of it adequately?”

“Yeah, I’m sure I could!”

“Are you sure of that?” he pressed. “With your job and your hobbies, could you realistically give a dog the time it deserves?”

“Yeah,” Naruto said, more forcefully this time. “Why are you even asking? It’s not like I’m about to get a dog or anything.”

“No reason.” Sasuke smiled at Naruto’s scowling, pouting face.

Halfway back to the city, Sasuke exited the interstate. “Hey, what are we doing? I mean, Sir, what are we doing?” Naruto asked.

“Making a brief detour,” Sasuke said. Naruto narrowed his eyes and stared at him doubtfully.

Sasuke drove for about 30 minutes before turning onto a tree-lined, two-lane, tar-and-gravel road.

“Master, no offense, but this is starting to look murdery,” Naruto said.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Yes, Naruto, I’ve been carefully instructing you to eat properly and see your doctors because I intend to murder you.”

“You could be like that witch from that story! The one that fattened up those little kids!” Naruto retorted.

“Wouldn’t I have instructed you to take a more sedentary job if that were the case?” Sasuke asked with a grin. “You’d be stringy, as muscular as you are, now. I prefer a more marbled meat.”

From the corner of his eye, he could see Naruto blush and smile, and he did not mind that he’d accidentally embedded a compliment in his last statement.

He turned at a long, gravel driveway that ran between two grassy fields. Naruto looked at him questioningly when he parked in front of a white farmhouse with green trim.

“You like dogs,” Sasuke said.

“Well, yeah,” Naruto replied, still puzzled.

“This is a rescue run by one of the club members,” Sasuke explained. “They breed and train dogs for use in rescue and therapy, but they also rescue dogs from unfortunate situations. I thought you might enjoy playing with the dogs and talking to them about what their care requires—for when you want to get a dog of your own.”

“Thanks, Sir!” Naruto said excitedly.

They walked onto the covered porch and knocked on the door. Hinata opened it, dressed in a clingy dress and tall boots.

“Welcome, sir,” she said softly. “Please come in. Master will be with you shortly.”

Naruto’s eyebrows went up, and he looked at Sasuke nervously. Sasuke said nothing, though; they walked to the sitting room, led by Hinata, and sat on an antique sofa. Naruto squirmed in his seat, and Sasuke knew he was dying to ask him questions about Hinata’s behavior.

Kiba strode in with a grin on his face. “Sasuke!” he said as the two men shook hands. “And… Sasuke’s property, hello.” He looked at Naruto with a smirk. Naruto’s lower lip protruded in indignation. Kiba sat across from them in a large armchair.

“Can’t say I expected to see you today,” Kiba said to Sasuke. “This isn’t club business, I take it?”

“No, it’s dog business,” Sasuke replied. “Naruto is interested in owning a dog. I suggested to him that we visit your rescues so he can interact with them, and that you could give him some guidelines to consider when he’s ready to adopt.”

This pleased Kiba. He smiled and leaned back in his chair. “Good choice,” he said. “Let’s go to the kennels, then.”

He stood and walked out, leaving Sasuke and Naruto to trail behind him. They walked through the immaculately-maintained house and exited through the kitchen. Sasuke had last come here with Kakashi; it had not changed much through the years.

They walked through a barn filled with enclosures. Unlike most shelters, these enclosures were generously sized, and rigorously cleaned and sterilized. At the barn’s exit, they entered a small, gated area that opened onto a fenced-in field. A woman a little older than Kiba was leading two dogs on a leash at the far end of the field. Other dogs played or rested freely

“We like our dogs to get plenty of sunshine and exercise,” Kiba explained. “We also do leash training and train them to tolerate touch during eating.”

“Is that a thing?” Naruto asked.

“Dogs who aren’t treated well or who have had to compete with other dogs for food can be aggressive while eating,” Kiba explained. “When we had a few rescues come back for that reason, we started the training. Our goal is to make every adoption a successful one. The dogs have been through enough without being abandoned all over again.”

Kiba never looked at Naruto as he spoke, choosing instead to address Sasuke. Naruto bristled visibly at the treatment.

“Hana!” Kiba called. “We have guests.”

The young woman walked with the two dogs she was leash-training and entered the enclosure. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Hana. I’d shake your hands, but mine are a little full.”

Sasuke preempted Kiba’s introduction. “I’m Sasuke. This is Naruto.”

“Glad to meet you both,” she said. “Are you here to adopt a dog?”

Sasuke waited for Naruto to answer, but he remained discomfited by Kiba’s disregard. “Naruto would like to interact with dogs so he can get some idea of the kind of dog he would like to adopt,” he finally said.

“That’s a great idea,” Hana said. “Naruto, would you like to come and meet the dogs?”

“Yeah, that’d be great!” he answered hurriedly, clearly relieved at having been addressed by name.

“Come on,” Hana encouraged. She held the gate to the field open for Naruto, then closed it again behind them. Dogs immediately came up to investigate the newcomer, and Naruto bent to pet and greet them all.

“Likes dogs, does he?” Kiba said to Sasuke. They remained in the enclosure as Naruto was introduced to the animals.

“He’s always wanted one,” Sasuke said. As he watched Naruto laugh and play with the dogs, a sense of sadness came over him again. Within the young man, it was still easy to see the child, and it grieved Sasuke that he had felt so unwanted and lonely.

“Dogs are good friends,” Kiba said. “Hey, look. That’s impressive.”

A red chow-chow had wandered up to Naruto. Naruto sank to his knees and held his hand out to the dog. Dog and man regarded each other for a few minutes, then the chow-chow sniffed Naruto’s hand and licked it.

“Impressive?” Sasuke asked. It looked like any other interaction with any other dog to him.

“That’s Red. We got him when his first owner passed away. He tends to be stand-offish, which turns a lot of adopters off. But he’s playing with your boy.”

“Naruto is more than “my boy,’” Sasuke snapped.

Kiba grinned. “Sure. Red seems to like him. And the kid’s good with him, that’s a huge plus. He didn’t get all up in his face and try to play.”

Red allowed Naruto to pet him. When Naruto stood and walked around the field, Red cautiously tagged along behind him.

“What are the adoption fees?” Sasuke asked.

“They’re usually $100. For a good and compatible adopter, though, we’d waive ‘em for somebody who wanted Red. That dog deserves to have a good life,” Kiba said passionately.

Naruto played with all of the dogs, but he and Red seemed to have an especial affinity. He frequently stopped to pet him, kneeling and burying his face in his fur at one point.

“Will that breed be aggressive?” Sasuke asked Kiba. Kiba looked at him with a mixture of shock and derision.

“No,” he said emphatically. “When dogs are aggressive, there’s always a reason, even if it’s not clear to the human. Red’s no more likely to be aggressive than a Lab or a golden.”

Far across the field, Hana spoke to Naruto. She fastened a harness and a leash onto Red and handed the leash to Naruto. Sasuke watched as Hana led him through basic commands and showed him how to walk the dog properly. Naruto grinned and laughed as he interacted with the fluffy beast. With his purple tongue lolling out of his open mouth, Red looked as if he were grinning, too.

“I wouldn’t be even a little bit mad if that kid adopted him,” Kiba said. “They look happy together.”

Sasuke agreed.

“He’s never owned a dog before?” Kiba asked.

“No,” Sasuke said. “He’s always liked them, but he’s never had one.”

“He needs some education, then. Let’s call ‘em in.” With that, Kiba shouted at Hana, and she took the leash from Naruto.

“That was amazing,” Naruto raved when he came back to Sasuke. “I definitely want a dog!”

Kiba cracked a smile. “What’d you think of that chow-chow you were walking?”

“That fluffy red dog?” Naruto said. “He’s great! I can just tell he’s a good dog!”

“Let’s go in and talk about dog care,” Kiba told him. Sasuke was glad he deigned to address Naruto this time.

They had barely taken their places in the sitting room when Hinata entered, bearing a tray. She knelt and placed the tray on the coffee table, then remained kneeling with her head down.

“How about some coffee?” Kiba asked.

“Yes, please,” Sasuke said. “Black.”

Naruto looked around the room uncertainly, then exchanged a worried look with Sasuke. He bit his lower lip. “Uh, yeah, sure,” he said hastily. “Uh, cream and a spoon of sugar. Please.”

Still kneeling, Hinata poured one cup, then another, taking the time to doctor Naruto’s cup according to his requests. She rose fluidly with the tray, only to walk over to Sasuke and kneel before him. He lifted his cup. Kiba’s lifestyle still unsettled him slightly, but he was more accustomed to it than Naruto, who was shifting uncomfortably in his spot.

Hinata then knelt before Naruto and lifted the tray to him.

“Uh, thanks,” Naruto said. The quiet slave-girl blushed and smiled. Sasuke felt a savage rush of both pride and superiority; Kiba might feel that he owned Hinata, but she was not immune to Naruto’s charm.

When the coffee was served, Hinata set the tray down once again, then knelt demurely at Kiba’s feet.

For the next thirty minutes, Kiba discussed basic care information and vet cost estimates with Naruto. He mentioned the possibility of hip dysplasia with Red’s breed later, and told Naruto what to expect if that condition arose. Sasuke was—grudgingly—impressed that he patiently and knowledgeably fielded all of Naruto’s questions. When he was finished, he looked at Sasuke and said, “Well? You gonna adopt?”

“Ask Naruto,” Sasuke said curtly. “He’s the one who wants a dog.”

“I love that dog,” Naruto averred. “I didn’t think I’d find a dog I liked that much first thing, but he’s the best. I definitely want him.”

“Will you be able to walk him and work on his training with him?” Kiba asked.

“Well, yeah. I can even come home and take him out for walks on my lunch breaks,” Naruto said.

“We offer discount kenneling services for adopters if you need to go on trips,” Kiba said. “I expect you’re going to the retreat with your master.”

“He is,” Sasuke replied.

Kiba grinned. “The adoption fee is usually $100, but I told you already we’d waive it for Red. You ready to do this, or do you need to think about it?”

Naruto looked at Sasuke. Sasuke shrugged. It was Naruto’s decision, and he would not try to influence him either way. He, himself did not prefer to own a pet, but he saw the benefits for Naruto.

“Yeah. I’ll take him,” Naruto said resolutely.

“One thing,” Kiba said sternly. “If this doesn’t work out for you, bring him back to us so we can care for him. Don’t dump him in a pound or abandon him.”  
  


Naruto clearly took offense to the insinuation. “I’d never abandon a dog or send him to the pound!”

“Good. That’s what I like to hear,” Kiba said with a smile. “By the way, don’t play in front of him, if you know what I mean. These dogs are very bonded to their owners and respond aggressively when it looks like somebody is threatening them.”

“Noted,” Sasuke said tersely.

Naruto filled out the adoption paperwork, and Sasuke paid for Red’s kennel, harness, and leash, in addition to a 25-pound bag of high-quality dog food. Naruto argued that he could afford it.

“Consider it a housewarming gift,” Sasuke told him.

“Thank you, Sir,” Naruto said, temporarily forgetting that they were around others.

“You’re very welcome,” Sasuke said. It was easy to look into Naruto’s eyes; it would have been just as easy to lean in and claim a kiss. Naruto smiled and looked away, and Sasuke chided himself once again over the feelings that continued to grow inside of him for the younger man.

In Sasuke’s car, Naruto reluctantly put Red into his crate in the rear cargo area. “Thank you, Master,” he said once again. He put his hand over Sasuke’s with a comfortable pressure.

Sasuke swallowed hard. He turned his hand over until their palms touched and squeezed Naruto’s hand. “It was my pleasure,” he said. He cleared his throat and withdrew his hand reluctantly.

The first few miles of the drive home were quiet. Naruto seemed lost in thought, and Sasuke was lost in Naruto. It was getting harder and harder to see himself only as Naruto’s dom; he wanted to be his friend. He wanted to be his lover. He _wanted_ him, period.

“Sir...” Naruto started as Sasuke merged onto the interstate. “That guy Kiba and his… that... woman… What was that all about? Making her kneel in front of us and all that. And he wouldn’t talk to me at first! What the hell?”

“They know we’re lifestyle, so Kiba feels free to express their dynamic in front of us,” Sasuke said. “They’re Goreans. It’s typical of them. At least she was wearing actual clothes today. He didn’t speak to you at first because you’re my submissive.”

“You mean she has to be naked around other people usually?” This seemed to disturb Naruto.

“She sometimes wears a filmy silk fabric tied around her waist. Like I said, it differs when they’re with other Goreans or people from the club. Regardless of setting, she doesn’t speak to other men. Kiba speaks for her.”

“That’s… kinda weird. I mean, that’s really old-fashioned sounding. What’s a Gorean?” Naruto asked.

“You’ve read about consensual slavery and total power exchanges?” Sasuke asked. “It’s like that, except that Goreans base their lifestyle off of novels written by a disgruntled man. They believe that the natural order of life is for the strong to dominate the weak. By default, according to their beliefs, women are weak, and therefore, they are usually slaves to men. There’s a saying from one of the books they base themselves on: ‘The man who respects a woman does not know what else to do with her.’”

“I’ve read about total power exchanges,” Naruto averred, “but that whole ‘women are weaker’ thing seems weird and gross.”

Sasuke chuckled. “I find no flaw in their lifestyle except that they seem to actually believe their own idiocy. Most people understand that a master/slave dynamic can be changed in an instant, and they understand that the ‘slave’ is an equal in the eyes of society. Many Goreans seem to resent the fact that they cannot literally own women. It would be as if someone read _The Hobbit_ and decided that they were a high elf or a wizard, and took offense to any insinuation to the contrary.”

Naruto laughed at that; the sound warmed Sasuke.

“Are there queer people in Gorean lifestyle?” Naruto asked. “Y’know, because men are the dominant species and all and women are weak. Or what about women dominants?”

Sasuke sighed. “Yes, oddly, there are queer people in Gorean groups. I don’t know why anyone, least of all queer people, would subscribe to those beliefs, but they do. As long as they don’t force them upon others or harm those considered slaves, it’s their choice. I don’t personally know any women dommes who are Gorean.”

Naruto mulled this over silently.

“What do you think of total power exchanges, Naruto?” Sasuke asked after a few seconds.

“I used to think I wanted something like that,” Naruto responded. “But since you collared me, I guess I feel different. I mean, I like being your sub. I don’t think I’d like being your slave. No offense, Sir.”

Sasuke laughed. “None taken.” Naruto was so different from the boy he had first met, the boy eager to be claimed and owned. It gave Sasuke hope for his future stability and happiness.

He carried Red’s crate up the stairs when they arrived at Naruto’s apartment and watched as Naruto introduced the dog to his new home.

“Are you going to keep the name Red?” Sasuke asked.

“Nah,” Naruto said. “I’m gonna name him Kyuubi. He has enough fur to make nine tails!” Naruto bent down and nuzzled into the dog’s lion-like mane. “You like that name, boy? You like being my Kyuubi?” The newly-christened Kyuubi licked Naruto’s face.

Sasuke ached. When he had first met Naruto, he often seemed cheerful, but never particularly happy. He was disconnected and untethered, with no meaningful relationships. Lately, he seemed to glow. He spoke often of the friends he had made at work and in his outings. It was a vast improvement in Sasuke’s eyes.

He stifled a yawn. “I should go home,” he said to Naruto.

Naruto stood, disappointment apparent in his face. “Okay,” he said. He walked Sasuke to the door.

Just as Sasuke was about to step out, he put his arms around him and squeezed him tightly. “Thank you so much, Sir,” he murmured. His lips were close to Sasuke’s ear, and the warm breath that drifted over the sensitive organ made Sasuke shudder.

“This was a perfect day,” Naruto said.

Sasuke slowly embraced him in turn. He did not move when Naruto pressed his lips to his cheek for several seconds. He allowed himself, ever so briefly, to nuzzle into Naruto’s golden hair.

His muscles tensed and his stomach turned as Anko’s words drifted through his mind. Naruto deserved independence. He awkwardly separated from his submissive.

“Text me your bedtime routine as usual,” he said gruffly.

“Yes, Sir!” Naruto agreed.

Sasuke fled down the stairs as if there were a fire behind him.

He was tormented for the remainder of the day. He was facing a double shift, and he was already tired, but sleep would not come when he lay down at last. Instead, his mind was torn in two between his desire and his better judgment.

Sasuke had given Naruto all that he realistically needed from him. He had given him the latitude to find and assert his boundaries, and Naruto had done exactly that.

He had also taken over Naruto’s life when he was vulnerable. He could never regret doing anything for Naruto, whatever the cost. Yet for all that he had tried to encourage Naruto’s independence of thought, he had overridden his concerns about the new car. He had not given Naruto time or space to come to his own decisions when he had lost his job.

He had behaved no better, in his mind, than the controlling, micromanaging dominants he despised. His entire body felt heavier as the conclusion fully sank in.

“What the hell!”

Sasuke rubbed his hands over his face. He had just come from working back-to-back shifts, and every nerve felt exposed. Naruto’s face flushed crimson; his hands shook.

“Tell me, Sasuke!” Naruto pleaded. “Please. Just tell me why.”

“Naruto…” he struggled for words as Naruto stared, his chest heaving. “It’s nothing to do with you or anything you’ve done. I think you’d be better off with another dominant.”

“It’s because I’m just a dumbass with no degrees or career, isn’t it?” Tears spilled down Naruto’s face.

“Watch your language!” Sasuke barked. Naruto froze, his face contorted, his eyes wide. Sasuke regretted both his tone and the command at once. “Don’t call yourself names. Your career and education have nothing to do with it,” he said more softly.

“Then what did I do? I must’ve done something wrong. I wish you’d just tell me, already!”

“You’ve done nothing wrong. In fact, I’m impressed with your growth. So much that you really don’t need me as a dominant anymore,” Sasuke told him. It hurt to see Naruto in pain—worst of all was that he had caused it. “I’ll be here, of course, if you ever needed anything.”

“You don’t think I can manage, do you?” Naruto said accusingly. “That’s why you bought me the car and all. You don’t think I can handle my life, and I’m… I’m… I’m a burden. You want a sub who doesn’t got so many problems.”

Sasuke reflexively gripped Naruto’s hand. “Not once,” he said quietly, “have I regarded you as a _burden_. You are the only person who has ever worn my collar this long. I _helped_ you buy the car because I knew that, with the smallest bit of stability, you would succeed beyond what you thought yourself capable of. I was right. You’re doing well. It’s time for you to progress. It’s time for you to learn from someone else.”

Naruto glared at him. “I don’t want to learn from anybody else. Don’t I get some kind of a say in who I learn from?”

“Yes,” Sasuke agreed wearily. “But you can’t learn from me anymore. I won’t remove the collar until we’ve finished with the retreat. That way, you can meet many different people and see what they have to offer, but I’ll still be there as a buffer if you feel overwhelmed. If you meet someone before the end of the weekend, you can give the collar back.”

Naruto’s eyes burned through his heart. “I don’t care what you say. I don’t give up that easy. I don’t mean to leave that weekend without your collar.”

Sasuke’s chest spasmed. “Naruto…”

“Don’t!” Naruto shouted. “Don’t explain anything else to me! I’m done with this conversation. Cinderella, and all that.”

Without another word, he turned and ran away from Sasuke.

Sasuke watched until he could no longer see him. He sat, dizzy and heartbroken, in the park where Naruto had agreed to meet him. Naruto would be better off with another dominant, or on his own altogether, he told himself. He hated the way he felt, but he hardened his mind against his emotions. He would get over it, as would Naruto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sasuke has come to a conclusion. But they've still got the weekend retreat! What's that going to be like between them? 
> 
> At the retreat (next chapter) you'll get some glimpses into other possibilities for dynamics and play in the BDSM lifestyle. 
> 
> So, I rag on Gor. Like, a lot. The novels are schlock, imho, and the idea that society is supposed to be ordered by testosterone-laden muscle-men who rule by domination is laughable. If that's so, then why isn't it the case? Couldn't you just enslave and seduce all the unactualized, unnatural women who (supposedly) stand between you and world domination?
> 
> There are women who feel at home in that lifestyle, though. You do you, boo, as long as you're safe. 
> 
> Honestly--your kink is your kink. As long as it's consensual. Between adults. And as long as Gor isn't forced upon the rest of us, then, whatever. That's my position.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who has read, bookmarked, and left reviews! I hope you like the next few chapters!


	12. At Least for Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weekend of the retreat arrives. Naruto's emotions and responses are all over the place. Sasuke's emotions are more stable; he's consistently miserable.

“What have you done?”

Sasuke held the phone away from his ear. Even though Guren spoke quietly, her voice vibrated painfully in his head.

Both her tone and her question peeved him. “What do you mean?”

“To Naruto.”

“This is not your domain,” he snapped.

“That boy has grown on me, Sasuke,” she bit back. “He tries to be cheerful, but it’s clear that he’s been crying. Shion and some of the other subs were talking about permanent collars yesterday, and he told them that he wouldn’t have any collar at all, soon. You made a fuss to have him interviewed. I thought you were going to take him on permanently, the way you were so protective of him. You can see how I don’t understand why my best employee is a weepy mess.”

“Please forgive me if my private life is interfering with your work standards,” Sasuke replied. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. They were passive-aggressive and weak, and he despised being on the defense.

“Naruto’s working out just fine,” Guren said coldly. “I’ve a warning for you, though. I told you before that Naruto has grown on me. If I find out you’ve treated him badly, I intend to make you pay the price.”

With that, she hung up.

Sasuke was utterly miserable. By the end of the weekend, he would no longer be Naruto’s dominant. The intoxicating play, the aftercare snuggles and kisses, and the heartwarming service Naruto so freely provided would be no more.

He was determined to remain a friend to Naruto. He would continue to watch over him from a distance—and, if Naruto desired, to be available to him for guidance. He was far too old for such a young and impressionable young man. In addition, he did not trust himself to make wise decisions as Naruto’s dom.

The last days before the retreat droned on dismally. He went to work, where he endured Sakura’s concerned looks and Neji’s barbs. He came home, where he thought ceaselessly of Naruto. He slept, and he dreamt of Naruto.

Friday morning finally arrived. He dressed slowly. He packed two bags, one for himself and another with play clothes for Naruto to wear for the weekend. He had chosen each item of clothing carefully, always conscious of what would set off the glow of his skin or the definition of his muscles. In a separate bag were all the toys Sasuke had purchased since he had collared him. He would not even consider saving them to use on someone else. He doubted he would ever play with anyone, even for a single scene, once Naruto was gone.

He texted Naruto before he left the loft.

**On my way.**

Naruto’s response arrived without his usual array of emojis and exclamation points.

_Yes Sir_

Enticing aromas drifted out into the breezeway as Sasuke walked to Naruto’s door. He winced as he realized that Naruto had not likely cooked for him; why would he, when that was not a part of their agreement, and they were soon to end, anyway?

He knocked and straightened his spine, pushing his morose thoughts to the back of his mind. Naruto answered and smiled tightly at him. Beneath his dull eyes were inky smudges, as if he had not slept well.

“Come in, Master,” he said to Sasuke. Sasuke entered the apartment, where the scent of the cooking food wound around him even more strongly. “I’ve taken my medicine this morning, and I am about to eat.”

Naruto walked ahead of him and pulled the bar stool out for him to sit. Kyuubi walked up and sniffed his feet warily, then made a low, threatening growl.

“Be good, Kyuubi,” Naruto said. He set a cup of tea in front of Sasuke. “Pu-erh, Sir, I hope it pleases you.”

He bowed his head and waited for Sasuke to taste the tea. Sasuke cringed at the formality. Sasuke did not want high protocol service and obedience for their own sake—not from Naruto. He wanted the borderline brattiness, the exuberance, and the joy. He supposed he had no more right to those things.

He took a sip of the tea. Naruto had timed its preparation perfectly so that it would be ready right when he arrived. It was not the best pu-erh, but it was good enough, and it was prepared properly.

“Good work,” he commented.

“Thank you, Sir,” Naruto said quietly, his head still bowed. “May I serve you breakfast?”

Sasuke’s throat tightened around the guilt and grief that had gathered there. “Please.”

Naruto lifted the lid off of a pan on the stove, and the spicy aroma intensified. He used a spoon to lift the food onto Sasuke’s plate, sprinkled chopped cilantro over the food, then presented it to him.

“Shakshouka, Master,” he said.

He took a step back and waited as Sasuke tasted the dish.

“Superb, Naruto,” he said honestly. Sasuke wondered where he had learned to make something like this. It was piquant and nourishing, a change from Sasuke’s usual fare.

“Thank you, Sir,” Naruto blandly responded. “May I eat?”

Sasuke frowned. “I told you already, you don’t have to wait for me to eat.”

“Thank you.” Naruto walked stiffly back to the stove and served himself. The silence as they ate was almost unbearable. This was not how Sasuke had wanted their last days together to be.

Naruto cleaned up behind them and watered all of his plants. Sasuke watched intently, filling his eyes with him, storing the images in his brain to console and torture himself with later. He noticed everything: the way Naruto murmured to the plants as he cared for them, the way he checked the soil before and after he watered them, and the little smile that he gave them. He finished and put a harness and leash on Kyuubi, then walked to his bedroom to get his bag.

He stood, quiescent and somber, waiting for Sasuke’s command—like a robot, Sasuke thought. Sasuke cleared his throat.

“Naruto, you don’t have to be so formal,” he said.

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto acknowledged. He did not lift his head, though, and he did not smile.

“Let’s go, then,” Sasuke muttered. Naruto shouldered his bag and picked up Kyuubi’s crate by its handle. He held Kyuubi’s leash in the opposite hand.

“Give me the crate,” Sasuke told him.

Naruto glared at him angrily, as if the order had offended him.

“Give it to me,” Sasuke insisted. “That’s too much to carry when you’re walking a dog.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said grudgingly. He surrendered the crate to Sasuke.

The slight attitude made Sasuke feel better, as if Naruto’s usual self were somehow close to the surface. “Good boy.”

Naruto’s cheeks pinkened, then he winced. He looked down hastily, but not before Sasuke noticed the glimmer in the corners of his eyes. He held the door open and waited for Sasuke to go ahead of him, then he locked up and followed behind him dutifully. Never as a dominant had a submissive’s obedience felt so off-putting.

They drove first to Kiba’s kennel, where Hana greeted them. Naruto knelt and petted Kyuubi fondly. “I’ll be back soon, boy, I promise,” he said. The dog licked his face.

“We’ll take good care of him, Naruto,” Hana promised.

Naruto looked at her gratefully. “Thank you.”

He followed Sasuke back to the car quietly.

It was a torturous, three-hour drive to the retreat site. It should have been pleasant; they were driving through the most mountainous region of the state, and the fall foliage was at its peak. Yet Naruto said nothing the entire time unless Sasuke prodded him, and then, he answered with the same dutiful, servile tone he had used all morning.

They stopped for lunch at a resort town cafe just before they reached their destination. Sasuke was not hungry, but he wanted to be sure that Naruto ate. He also wanted to prepare Naruto for the retreat. They ate in the same oppressively polite silence that had dominated the drive.

In the car he turned to Naruto, who looked down in his lap.

“I need to go over a few things about the protocols you’ll see at the retreat.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“First, just like at the club, you don’t touch anything or anyone without permission. Don’t interrupt a scene or try to become part of it after it has begun. You’ll encounter different subsets of the lifestyle, such as Gorean, which you’ve seen. Be respectful, even if you don’t understand or appreciate it.”  
  


“I understand, Sir,” Naruto assured him.

“Don’t assume people’s roles, regardless of their appearance. Greet everyone as an equal until you’re instructed otherwise. Call no one else “master” or give them any part of your submission.” Sasuke said the last part a bit more forcefully than he had intended.

“Unless you decide that you want to request their collar; then you must come to me first, to give mine back,” he amended.

Naruto frowned. “Respectfully, Sir, I don’t plan on doing that.”

Naruto’s words gave him a glimmer of hope that he quickly brushed aside. “When we are in high protocol events, you’ll need to follow behind me and slightly to my right by about two paces. You’ll defer questions to me. This way, you will easily know what to do and how to respond to anything. Those who are aware of your role in our relationship will most likely ask my permission before they address you. This isn’t to insult you. It’s a sign of respect for our dynamic.”

“Yes, Sir.”

The hollowness in Naruto’s voice took all the pleasure out of that phrase. “Naruto.”

“Yes, Sir?”

“There’s one more thing,” Sasuke said.

“Okay, Master.” Naruto looked up at him expectantly.

“You are wearing my collar because you are worthy of it. Don’t allow anyone to treat you as if you are less than that. Not at the retreat. Not at any other time.”

Naruto’s eyes filled with tears. “Yes, Master.”

He looked away, but Sasuke reached out and turned his face towards him again. “Even after… Sunday… I’ll never tolerate anyone treating you abusively or disrespectfully.”

Naruto nodded, too choked up to speak, and Sasuke did not demand a verbal answer. They drove the last few miles just as silently as they’d driven up, but this time, the silence was saturated with emotion.

Sasuke had been on this retreat in past years, so he knew what to expect. Naruto, though, gasped when the heavy, wrought-iron gate swung open for their car.

“What is this place?” he asked. “I mean, Sir.”

“This is Kirigakure. A couple in the lifestyle own this property, and they open it up to our regional retreat every year. It comprises hundreds of acres. We’ll meet for a reception shortly after we check in; remember the protocols I told you about when we do,” Sasuke answered.

“Yes, Sir.”  
  


Sasuke was beginning to hate that phrase.

The drove until they arrived at one of the guest chalets. Sasuke had never enjoyed the more social aspects of the retreat. They were even less enjoyable, now, when he was spending his last moments with Naruto. Instead of requesting a room at the large guest house, he had paid extra fees to secure a private chalet.

Naruto ran to the window as soon they walked in. “Wow,” he said, taking in the scenery.

The chalet was situated on a bluff overlooking a river gorge. The dazzling colours of Autumn painted the canyon and the mountains beyond.

“This is so pretty, Master!” Naruto said, enraptured.

A bittersweet smile curved over Sasuke’s lips. “I take it this is to your liking.”

“Yes, Sir! It’s probably the nicest place I’ve ever stayed.”

“There’s a loft for sleeping,” Sasuke told him. “Do you want to go upstairs to see?”

“Yes! Yes, Sir!” Naruto’s enthusiasm was an improvement over the heaviness on the ride up.

“Holy crap!” Naruto shouted when they reached the top of the stairs. “Oops, I mean, what a lovely view, Sir.”

Sasuke chuckled softly. “It’s a nice view.”

“Nice? No way. This is so much better than ‘nice,’” Naruto corrected. “Look! You can see farther away up here!”

Naruto bounced around investigating the space as Sasuke put away his clothes. When he was done, he called the energetic submissive over. “You need to get ready for the reception,” he said. “I’ve brought you some clothes.”

“Oh. Okay, Master.” Naruto walked over to the second closet, where Sasuke had begun to put away the clothes he’d bought for him.

“The reception is a time to meet new people. You’ll be with me at the beginning, but then, the submissives will have their own tea separate from the dominants. The dress will be somewhat formal.”

Naruto looked as Sasuke laid out a pair of black leather pants, a sleeveless mesh undershirt, and a red, Thai silk button-down. “These are the items I’ve chosen for you for the reception.”

“Red and black is your colour scheme, isn’t it, Master?” Naruto asked.

“I like those colours together,” Sasuke said. “I assume there’s not a problem with it.”

“No, Sir,” Naruto replied.

“Good. Then you’ll get dressed after a shower. Put my dog tags on the collar.”

Naruto undid the clasp at the back of the leather cord and hung the dog tags from it as Sasuke had ordered. Sasuke watched in surprise as Naruto then kissed the dog tags and hung the collar carefully over a hook in the closet.

“Do you always do that when you take off the collar?” Sasuke asked.

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto admitted. “I hate not wearing it, even for little bits of time. It should be respected. Is that okay, Master?”

“Y-yes,” Sasuke said thickly. He turned and went down the stairs so Naruto could get ready, and also to tame the barrage of emotion.

Naruto’s little ceremony was unexpected. Naruto seemed carefree, and in many ways, careless. Yet the respect he had for Sasuke was evident in the way he honored the simple leather cord. Many people had begged for Sasuke’s collar; no one else, though, would ever have accorded it the same ceremony and reverence. He was certain of that.

Sasuke laced his tight, well-shined black boots and went downstairs. Naruto was leaning against a pillar, staring out over the gorge. The clothes fit him with absolute precision, just as Sasuke had known they would.

The view had him half hard of a sudden, and he instantly regretted the impulse to dress Naruto in his colors. He shifted uncomfortably.

Naruto turned around and caught his eye. For a moment, Naruto’s entire face lit up. Then his mouth drew up as if he had tasted something sour, and he looked profoundly sad.

“You dressed me like you,” he murmured, gesturing at Sasuke’s attire. The shirts were made of the same crimson silk, and they both wore black leather pants. The only difference was that Sasuke had added a black leather vest and a silk tie in matte black.

“Yes.”

Naruto opened his mouth to speak, then stopped himself. Sasuke walked closer to him. Naruto gazed into his eyes.

“Do you object to wearing my colours?” Sasuke murmured.

“No,” Naruto whispered. He blinked rapidly.

Sasuke unbuttoned the silk shirt down to Naruto’s sternum, then straightened the collar around his neck. He ached to run his hands along the silk-clad waist, down to the leather stretched enticingly over his hips and ass. He wanted to pull Naruto against him roughly and claim what he so badly wanted.

Naruto blinked as Sasuke fussed over his clothing, then licked his lips absentmindedly. Sasuke stepped back and looked him over once more.

“There,” he said. He cleared his throat. “The reception is an event with a moderate protocol. Stay close to me until the submissives are dismissed to their own function, and you should have no trouble. If you see someone you know in your vanilla life, don’t use their real names. Don’t give anyone yours, either.”

Naruto goggled in awe at the understated luxury of the reception hall. The floors were a highly-polished mahogany, and the mountains in the distance were displayed by a wall of glass. The other walls were covered in pearl-colored damask. .

A buffet table was spread with a wide assortment of hors-d’oeuvres, another with dainty cream puffs and petits-fours. A well-stocked bar took up one end of the hall.

“You are not to use alcohol,” Sasuke told Naruto quietly. “There are multiple reasons, but mostly it’s because you are safer and more wary if you are not altered.”

“Yes, Master.” Naruto turned and faced Sasuke. “Would you like something to eat, Sir?”

“Not right now, thank you. You may eat if you wish.”

Naruto thanked him and walked to the buffet.

“Raven.”

Sasuke turned and saw Nagato, the founder of the Akatsuki Club, and Konan, his partner.

“Nagato.” His eyes hardened on the gaunt, red-haired man.

“I understand I owe you an apology,” Nagato said.

Sasuke raised one brow.

“The boy Hidan beat is yours, is he not?” Nagato went on.

“The human being Hidan endangered with his recklessness is now my submissive, yes, if that’s what you’re trying to say,” Sasuke responded angrily.

“Kakuzu, Hidan, and the others who were with them that night were all punished and then expelled. What they did was unacceptable.”

“It’s a good thing you acknowledge it,” Sasuke said harshly.

Konan stiffened, but a subtle look from Nagato made her stand back. “We’re working to correct our errors,” Nagato said somberly. “Let your submissive know that we regret the way our former members treated him.”

Sasuke said nothing. Nagato turned to leave. Konan looked back at Sasuke reproachfully, but he met her gaze defiantly. He sought Naruto out. When he found him, he was seized with fury.

Kabuto had cornered Naruto at the buffet. Naruto tensed uncomfortably as Kabuto edged closer and something Sasuke could not hear. He cleared the distance in seconds to wedge between Naruto and Kabuto.

“Your presence isn’t wanted,” he told Kabuto.

Kabuto’s leering grin widened. “You never know, Raven. The rumor is that you’re withdrawing your collar. Kurama, here, will be fair game.”

Sasuke stepped closer to Kabuto, who smirked and walked off.

Naruto eyed Sasuke thoughtfully.

It occurred to Sasuke that Naruto might be angry and hurt enough to accept Kabuto’s invitation. “That man is not an acceptable dom,” he said suddenly.

Naruto rolled his eyes. “I know. _Master._ He came up to me. I didn’t ask to talk to him. Sir.”

“Good.” He felt chastened and unbalanced, regardless of his authoritative tone. “Stay at my side until you go with the other submissives. It will give Kabuto and his sort less opportunity.”  
  


“Yes, _Sir._ ” Naruto’s words were soaked in resentment. Sasuke wondered if he had been offended about the insinuation implicit in his condemnation of Kabuto, or if it was his hurt and anger over Sasuke rescinding his collar.

The Otogakure contingent walked in as a group, Orochimaru at the head. As soon as the pale man noticed Sasuke, he waved his companions on and made a beeline for him.

“Raven! How wonderful it is to see you.”

As usual, his roving eyes told Sasuke just exactly how wonderful Orochimaru thought it was.

“Orochimaru,” Sasuke said, tilting his head.

“And this handsome young man,” Orochimaru went on, turning his focus to Naruto, “must be your delightful submissive.”

“That’s Kurama.”

“Such a _pretty_ boy. I hope the two of you intend to see our demonstrations?”

“That depends.”

Orochimaru’s eyes widened in surprise at the anger in Sasuke’s tone. “Upon?”

“Kabuto takes too many liberties.”

“Kabuto was—how to put it—invited to leave Otogakure,” Orochimaru said cryptically.

“Why?” Sasuke demanded.

“Let’s not discuss unpleasantness, Raven.”

“There will be no discussion if he accosts Kurama or touches him again,” he admonished. “Nor if I discover that you’re hiding information to protect Kabuto.”

“Quite! Raven, I could not agree more.” Orochimaru blanched slightly before he righted himself. His eyes traveled up and down Naruto’s form. “I do hope we see more of you both. So lovely to see you, Kurama.”

With that, Orochimaru excused himself.

“Is that guy always so creepy, Sir?” Naruto whispered carefully in his ear.

“He enjoys getting a reaction.” Sasuke looked towards the entrance and locked eyes with Guren. She moved purposefully towards Sasuke and Naruto with her sub, Shion, in tow. Naruto tensed up beside him. This would be his first time greeting someone from his everyday life at the retreat.

Guren sized Sasuke up coldly. When she looked at Naruto, though, her eyes softened.

“Lotus.” Sasuke stared back at Guren just as coldly.

“Hello, Raven. May I speak to Kurama?”  
  


Sasuke nodded curtly.

“You look handsome tonight,” she said appreciatively. Naruto blushed and smiled.

“Thank you, Miss G- uh, Lotus,” he said.

“This is your first retreat, isn’t it? You’re going to be quite popular. Enjoy the attention. Bunny, say hello to Kurama,” Guren ordered Shion.

Shion smiled shyly and flushed; Sasuke remembered that Naruto had called her “flirty.”

“Hello, Kurama,” she said in a high-pitched, childlike voice.

Naruto smiled politely at her. “Hi, Bunny! It’s good to see you!” He gave Sasuke a quizzical look. Sasuke nodded. He was proud that Naruto had adjusted so quickly to using appropriate names.

“We’ll be seeing you around, I suppose,” Guren said. She smiled fondly at Naruto, but she turned a hard stare upon Sasuke before walking away haughtily.

Sasuke scowled after her, then led Naruto to greet Sakura.

“Raven! Kurama! I’m so happy to see you!” Sakura said excitedly.

“Nice to see you, _Blossom,_ ” Sasuke returned.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” she said to Naruto. “I was hoping you’d come!”

Naruto again looked to Sasuke. He nodded imperceptibly.

“I’m glad to see you, too, uh, Blossom.” Naruto smiled winsomely at Sakura, clearly relieved to see a trusted friend.

“You’re coming to the subs’ tea, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Yeah! Uh, yes. I’m going to the tea,” Naruto agreed.

“Great! And you guys are going to be at the pets’ banquet, also, I saw! I’m so happy!”

“Are you solo this weekend?” Sasuke asked.

Sakura bit her lip. “No. Kakashi is my escort for events. Oh, there he is, now!”

Kakashi took his place beside Sakura with his hands in his pockets.

“Yo,” he said boredly. “Raven. Kurama. Good to see you both.”

“You as well,” Sasuke replied.

Before they could converse further, a tinkling bell drew everyone’s attention to a statuesque woman in a long, royal blue sheath dress in front of the glass wall.

“Good evening, everyone. Welcome to Kirigakure,” she said. “On behalf of the Kirigakure family and our local community, I would like to express how happy we are to have you here. To all those bright, new faces I see in the crowd, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mei. I’m the coordinator for the retreat. Please reach out to me if you are not satisfied with any part of your stay.”

Mei smiled at the attendees. “This retreat is one of our regional lifestyle community’s most beloved and longstanding events. This is all due to the hard work of our staff and volunteers, as well as to your cooperation. We are grateful to have you here, and we remind you that we have opened our home to you with the good faith that you’ll honor the foundations of our lifestyle. Find a staff member or volunteer if at any time you see practices that are anything less than… say it with me…”

The entire room joined in the chant: “Safe, sane, and consensual!” Many of the attendees clapped in approval.

“Photography and video are not permitted here,” Mei continued as the applause died down. “Any violation of this rule will result in you being escorted from the retreat and will also earn you a lifetime ban. We _have_ hired photographers and videographers to document our scheduled demonstrations. As in years past, the photos will be available for attendees to purchase a few weeks after the retreat. Please enjoy your stay at Kirigakure. We will _never_ ask you to play _nicely_ , but we demand that you play consensually.”

Laughter rippled through the room. Another woman took Mei’s place before the imposing view.

“Submissives, slaves, pets, and littles,” she said, “please bid your D-types goodbye and prepare for your own tea.”

Naruto looked at Sasuke nervously.

“Go on,” Sasuke told him.

“Come on, Kurama,” Sakura said warmly. She took Naruto’s hand. “We’ll have a good time.”

Naruto allowed Sakura to lead him to the door where the other submissives were beginning to gather. Sasuke watched until they were escorted to an adjoining room, painfully aware of Naruto’s absence.

“So,” Kakashi said casually, “I’ve heard rumours that you’re planning on letting your submissive go.”

“News travels as fast as always.” Sasuke did not bother to conceal his irritation. “I’m not sure why you feel it’s worthy of discussion.”

“Is that really what you want?” Kakashi asked, undeterred.

“Does it matter?”

“I’d say it does.” Kakashi watched him with apparent disinterest. Sasuke knew better than to trust appearances with Kakashi.

“I have to place his needs above what I want.”

“Hm. And you’re sure that what he needs is his dom taking back his collar?” Once again, Kakashi’s tone was bored and dispassionate.

“Regardless of what he thinks, yes.”

“Did you bother to ask him what he needs? Or did you just decide unilaterally?”

Sasuke chafed at the question. He knew the implications; by failing to include Naruto in his decision, he was demeaning him as a submissive and summarily dismissing his concerns about the relationship--in essence, violating the core principles of their lifestyle. 

“Still time to reconsider,” Kakashi said lightly. He patted Sasuke on the shoulder and walked off to greet someone he knew.

“One of the subs told me you aren’t a master! Can you believe it?” Naruto ranted. They had just come back from the reception, and he was both hyper and irritable.

Sasuke sighed. “That’s because we don’t have a 24/7, total power exchange. Many people object to dominants outside of those dynamics being called ‘master’ or ‘mistress,’ unless it’s for a scene.”

Naruto gawked at him in frustration. “Then why’d you tell me to call you that?”

Why had he? The morning Naruto requested his collar, he had called Sasuke “master.” The images that the word evoked had spooled through his mind immediately: images of Naruto taking his whip. Images of Naruto with his hands cuffed behind his back and his head bowed. Images of Naruto willingly giving himself over to Sasuke’s will and whim. He had not thought twice about instructing him to use the title when he collared him.

“Do you have any complaints?” Sasuke asked sternly.

“No, Sir,” Naruto said heavily. “I like calling you master. I just don’t like other people telling me it’s wrong.”

“Are you their submissive, or mine?”

“Yours, Sir,” Naruto said vehemently. Sadness crept over his features again. “At least for now.”

“Then, at least for now, you’ll continue to refer to me as “Master” or “Sir.”’

Naruto cracked a lopsided grin. “Understood, _Master_.”

Something hardened inside of Sasuke even as his heart went soft. His collar still circled Naruto’s neck. As long as that was the case, he was going to make every moment count.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke intends to make every moment count with Naruto! Wonder how that's going to work out for him? ;) 
> 
> Next up, the pet and Owners dinner! It gets more graphically kinky from this point on, just as a heads-up. Thank you all for reading and for leaving your comments! You're all welcome to contact me on Tumblr and Discord, too. <3


	13. My Sweet Pet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke shows off his prized pet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Pet play mentioned ahead. Please be aware in case you find this distasteful.

“Master, am I going to be a pet tonight?” Naruto asked.

“That’s the idea.” When Naruto asked to attend the Pets and Owners Dinner, Sasuke had briefly told him what to expect. He appeared to have forgotten most of it.

“So, what, I can’t talk?” Naruto bit his lip as he awaited Sasuke’s instructions.

“No. You may not speak. You will be led on a leash. In the dining hall, you will walk on all fours like a real animal. You will sit at my feet when we dine.” Sasuke frowned. He wasn’t sure if the rules of the dinner would humiliate Naruto and trigger his anxiety.

“That’s so cool!” Naruto’s eyes shone. “What do I have to wear, Sir?”

Sasuke smiled wryly. In this instance, he would defer to Naruto’s judgment about his attire. Naruto had exhibitionist tendencies, but sometimes exposure triggered intense, unpleasant humiliation for him. Sasuke laid the pet gear on the bed. Naruto had options to choose from, but the one factor that remained was the fluffy, red fox tail and the matching Venetian mask. The mask featured prominent ears appropriate for a fox, as well as a muzzle that tapered down to a little black nose over Naruto’s own nose.

“I’m gonna be a fox?” Naruto asked hopefully.

“Yes.” As soon as Naruto had asked to go to the dinner, Sasuke had imagined him as a fox.

Pet play was not one of Sasuke’s kinks. While he did not begrudge others their preferences, he found it rather silly and superfluous. This was one more thing he could give Naruto, though, one of the ways he could help him explore new aspects of their lifestyle.

“Do I have to wear all these things?” Naruto asked.

“No. You have choices,” Sasuke told him. “Some of the pets will be explicitly exposed tonight. You are allowed to be exposed on this occasion. You aren’t required to be.”

Naruto frowned as he looked over the options. “I can seriously go in just a black jock strap?”

“Along with your collar, a harness, your tail, and your mask, yes.” Sasuke hid his smile. The seriousness with which Naruto approached his choices was endearing.

“And these pants have a zipper in both the front and the back. Why, Sir?” Naruto held up a pair of black, leather pants. Two zippers met at the middle of the crotch.

“So you can show off your tail.”

“Where does the tail go, Sir?”

Sasuke swallowed hard. He was not a pet play enthusiast, so he had failed to consider some of the finer points of the regalia until the event was almost upon them.

“Take a closer look at the tail, Naruto,” he said uncomfortably.

Naruto gingerly picked up the fluffy, custom-made tail. He gawked when he noticed the cold, metallic item at the top. “I have to put that… Sir?” He looked up at Sasuke with his face glowing red.

“It’s an anal plug, yes.” Sasuke knew that tails could come with the plugs or without, but this one had arrived fastened to the plug with no other option.

“I have to wear it like… like _that?”_ Naruto stammered.

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, you don’t _have_ to. We can figure out how to take it off and affix it some other way.”

There was no other way he knew of, but if Naruto objected to the plug, he would not be made to wear it. He already knew how to be obedient; Sasuke wanted him to learn how to advocate for himself.

Naruto swallowed and licked his lips. “Uh. I’ll… wear it. Sir. I don’t wanna cheat!”

“It’s not cheating if you choose to wear it another way,” Sasuke assured him. “It’s entirely up to you. I allowed you to choose the event. I’m allowing you to choose how to dress for it.”

Naruto straightened his back proudly. “I’ll wear the tail the way it is, Master.”

An erotic frisson zapped up and down Sasuke’s spine. “I’ll help you with the harness.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Naruto told him. There was a glint in his eye, a familiar energy that Sasuke had been longing to see.

He sat on the bed. “Take off your shirt and kneel in front of me,” he ordered.

“Yes, Master.” Naruto’s smile was almost shy… or coy. He unbuttoned his shirt slowly and slid it off of his shoulders, then placed it on a hanger in the closet. He stripped off the net undershirt and hung it as well. He walked closer to the bed and sank to his knees in front of Sasuke.

“Turn around.”

Naruto did as he said. Sasuke placed the supple leather harness over his shoulders. Naruto’s scent—earthy and clean—drew him closer than perhaps he should have been. He lifted Naruto’s arms and wrapped the lower straps around his rib cage, taking his time to ensure that they lay properly.He then fastened the buckles throughthe lower of two metal o-rings in the back. Naruto shuddered when Sasuke’s fingers brushed his spine.

“Stand,” Sasuke commanded.

Naruto did as he was told immediately, and Sasuke gripped him by the shoulders. Slowly,he turned him around to look over his handiwork. The leather straps ran diagonally from Naruto’s shoulders to his breastbone,meeting at the upper of the two rings in the front. The lower straps wrapped diagonally from Naruto’s sternum and around his rib cage to buckle in the back. Sasuke tightened the buckles in different places until the harness was snug enough to prevent chafing but was still not overly tight.

Naruto’s well-developed pectorals were accentuated beautifully, as were the rippling muscles of his abs and back. Pink nipples stood erect, framed perfectly between the leather straps. Sasuke could have salivated. There were so many possibilities to tease and torment the tender little peaks: clamping. Biting. Twisting. _Kissing_. All as Naruto writhed in the most exquisite pain…

He fixed his mind on the event at hand. “How does it feel?” he asked.

“It feels great, Master!” Naruto ran his hands over the leather straps appreciatively.

“That’s yours. As is all the clothing you’ll wear this weekend,” Sasuke told him.

“You can’t…” Naruto started.

Sasuke arched one brow. “Are you forgetting your place, boy?”

“No, Sir. Thank you, Master.” Naruto said quickly.

“That’s what I thought. The next part is up to you. Go and place your tail.”

He handed Naruto the tail and a small foil packet of lube. Naruto looked at the items dubiously.

“There’s time to change your mind about how you wear the tail,” Sasuke reminded him.

Naruto’s nose scrunched up, and his chin jutted out defiantly. “I’ll wear it the way it’s supposed to be worn, Sir.”

He watched as Naruto took the tail and the lube and walked to the bathroom.

He walked out a few minutes later looking slightly uncomfortable, tail swishing as he walked. He held his hands over his crotch to preserve something of his modesty. Sasuke, of course, had seen Naruto’s cock. That had always happened coincidental to scenes, though. In this context, the exposure seemed jarringly obscene.

And tempting.

“You should choose your next item of clothing,” Sasuke instructed. Naruto nodded and looked over the items in question once again. The tail protruded from between his firm, rounded buttocks, and Sasuke suddenly understood at least one part of pet play’s appeal.

“I’ll wear these, Sir,” Naruto said, holding up the pants with the zip at the crotch.

“Good choice.” The decision was both a relief and a disappointment; as much as he would have loved to have seen Naruto wearing nothing but a jockstrap all night, he was wary of sharing that alluring view with others—especially others who might be seeking their next submissive.

With immense care and effort, Naruto pulled the pants on, leaving them unzipped to accommodate the fox tail. The leather fit him like a second skin; these pants were much tighter than the ones he had worn to the reception.

Sasuke cleared his throat. “I’ll help with the zippers.”

Naruto stood and allowed him to close the back of the pants just to the point where the tail protruded. The zipper pull had a locking mechanism to prevent the teeth from separating. Sasuke locked it in place with the small key provided.

Pulling the front zipper required a great deal more care. Sasuke slowly and carefully pulled it down over Naruto’s front, then even more slowly, he zipped it over the bulge of his balls. Naruto let out an involuntary mewl. Sasuke bit his lip in frustration.

Finally, the zipper was in place. Sasuke locked the pull, just as he had with the other. Naruto would be dependent upon him to undress or go to the restroom this way.

Sasuke placed the Venetian mask and tied its laces at the back of Naruto’s head, then gave him a final once-over.

The mask made the bright blue of Naruto’s eyes even more shocking, made his pouty, pink lips even more sinful. Naruto looked almost dangerous; he had a feral quality that set every nerve in Sasuke’s body ablaze. He would stand out among the tame puppies and kittens that were certain to abound. Sasuke had collared something that would never be completely tamed.

“A few more things…” Sasuke removed the collar from Naruto’s neck, then reached into the bag to pull out a wide, flat, black leather collar with a d-ring at the front and buckles at the back. His fingers grazed the tantalizing skin at the nape of Naruto’s neck. The younger man inhaled sharply.

Sasuke stilled, then hastily buckled the collar. He turned Naruto around. He stared as Sasuke fastened his dog tags onto the d-ring, and Sasuke’s face heated uncomfortably. He unconsciously wet his lips as he backed away.

“This is it,” he said, and attached a long, black leather lead to the back of Naruto’s harness.

“Do I have to walk on all fours all the way over there?” Naruto asked.

“No,” Sasuke said. “You’ll see pets that will. You can walk upright, though, until we reach the dining hall. We will queue up at the hall and wait to be announced, then I will lead you to our table. Do you have any more questions?”

“No, Sir. I think I understand. But what if I think of something later, when I’m not supposed to talk?”

“Pat me on the leg, and I’ll take you out so you can speak freely.”

Ino and Sai lined up directly behind them in a corridor in the dining hall, followed by Kakashi and Sakura.

Ino gave Naruto an approving smile. “Kurama looks amazing!” she told Sasuke.

“He does,” Sasuke agreed.

“Can I pet him, Raven?” she asked. Sasuke nodded, and she knelt to pet Naruto behind his ears. Naruto leaned his head against her hand and smiled up at her.

“Aw, you’re such a sweet fox!” Ino gushed. “Sai, would you like to play with Kurama sometime?”

Sai pawed at the ground and gave an equine snort. The owners laughed.

Sakura squirmed as she knelt at Kakashi’s feet. Shewore a white leather corset with matching short-shorts, a fluffy white tail, white ears, and a pink collar with a bell. She clearly wanted to speak to them, but she was forced to sit quietly as the owners spoke.

Classical music began to play in hall. The handful of owners ahead of Sasuke and Naruto walked out one by one, pets at their heels, as they were announced. Naruto looked up at Sasuke worriedly. Sasuke gave him a reassuring pet. “Stay close and you’ll be alright,” he told him.

Naruto blinked in understanding then looked towards the entrance to the hall.

“Raven and Kurama!” the announcer called.

Sasuke tugged gently on the leash to let Naruto know that he was still there and in control. He walked forward, and Naruto followed obediently, keeping to his heel. Sasuke knew better than to look at him; the sight of him crawling at his command, with his black leather pants straining over his incredible ass, would be Sasuke’s ruination.

Sasuke tugged the leash once more and stopped, allowing the other guests to fill their eyes with the beautiful man on his leashbefore he walked him to their assigned table. Like the other owners, he stood as the remaining pairs were introduced.

Sasuke looked down and smiled at Naruto’s curiosity. He staredin awe at all of the pets; some were dressed whimsically, others more austerely in punishing leather and metal gear.He squirmed excitedly when Ino and Sai were introduced, and again when Kakashi led Sakura out—like a real canid, Sasuke thought. He ran his hands through his hair to let him know how very proud he was, and Naruto gazed up at him with a pure, trusting expression.

It gave Sasuke a heady rush, but sorrow followed on its heels. Naruto was the one person who had ever placed that much trust in him. Life without him would be duller than it had ever been before he had stumbled into Sasuke’s life. Still—for right now, he was Sasuke’s, and Sasuke would savor his submission while he had it.

When everyone had been introduced, the owners and spectators took their seats. Naruto looked around to see how the other pets behaved.He adjusted himself into a seiza position, squirming a bit before he forced himself to be still. Sasuke knew that the plug must be uncomfortable.

Sasuke was dismayed to discover that the pets were not served on their own plates; their owners were left to work out how to feed them. Many of the other pet owners grumbled quietly. Naruto looked up at him, waiting to be told what to do.

Sasuke cut his steak into small pieces, then held out a morsel to Naruto. Once again, he was fixed by the bright, blue eyes staring up at him from behind the fox mask. Naruto opened his mouth, and Sasuke placed the steak on his tongue. Naruto took it gratefully, then laid his head on Sasuke’s leg to thank him. Sasuke petted his head affectionately. He fed him until he finished the steak. His own food went uneaten.

The project became more challenging when sorbet was served for dessert. It was to Sasuke’s credit that he did not roll his eyes or swear. Many owners simply placed the bowls of sorbet on the floor for their pets to lap up. Sasuke refused to do so; it was too near having Naruto eat off the floor. He settled upon holding the bowl down and allowing Naruto to lick at the sorbet.

Naruto leaned forward and rested his hands on the floor. He flicked his tongue out hesitantly and tasted the sorbet, looking up at Sasuke questioningly. Sasuke nodded, and Naruto lapped at the dessert eagerly.

Sasuke was entranced as Naruto literally ate out of his hand. Naruto was _his—_ his to command, his to care for. He was completely dependent in this milieu, forced to trust that Sasuke would intuit his desires and needs. It made Sasuke feel inordinately powerful—and powerfully aroused.

He dabbed Naruto’s face with the napkin and smiled at him. Naruto licked his lips one last time and rubbed his cheek against Sasuke’s leg. Sasuke stroked his hair lovingly. When he was finally forced to look away, he noticed several of his acquaintances from the club staring at him unapologetically. He hardened his expression and ignored them.

“Hurry, hurry, hurry! Please!” Naruto danced in place, weight shifting from foot-to-foot.

Sasuke slapped his ass smartly. “What did you just say?”

“Please, Master!” Naruto cried.

Sasuke grinned sadistically as he—slowly—turned the key to unlock one zipper pull, then the other.

“Thank God!” Naruto cried.

“Thank _who?_ ” Sasuke teased.

“Thank you, Sir!”

Sasuke laughed as Naruto dashed frantically to the restroom, then immediately, he grew somber. His foray into pet play had been… revealing.

The euphoria of having Naruto so utterly dependent upon him morphed into guilt and horror now that they were alone. That was a level of power Sasuke never wanted to have over another person. Trust invested during a scene was one thing. The totality of Naruto’s reliance upon him during pet play, though, was something entirely different. The way he had reveled in that reliance frightened him.

Naruto emerged from the bathroom pantsless and tailless, but he did not bother to cover himself this time. He walked nonchalantly to the closet and pulled out his pajamas and clipped the leather pants to a hanger.

“Master, could you help me with the harness, please?” he asked.

Sasuke nodded. He walked over to Naruto and loosened the straps, then unbuckled them from the o-ring. The harness had left impressions on Naruto’s skin, and Sasuke rubbed his back without thinking.

“Mmm, thank you, Master,” Naruto purred.

It occurred to Sasuke that they had just done a demanding and novel form of play—in public.

“Do you need anything?” Sasuke asked him.

“What you’re doing now… more of that? Please, Sir?”

“Since you asked so nicely,” Sasuke said. He led Naruto to the bed and pulled back the covers. Naruto climbed in, and Sasuke sat beside him. He gently massaged Naruto’s back and shoulders; walking on all-fours and sitting on the floor all night had left the muscles knotted.

“Mmm, so nice, Sir, thank you,” Naruto mumbled.

“What did you think of being a pet?” Sasuke asked him.

“I liked it!” Naruto turned over so he could look at Sasuke. “Thank you for taking me. I liked it, Master.”

“What did you like about it?” Sasuke probed. He was somewhat surprised by the answer; the pet play dinner had been demanding in its own way, and it featured none of the strong sensations Naruto tended to crave.

“I kinda liked that I had to tell you everything without talking. And I liked how you always seemed to know exactly what I needed. I liked feeling playful, almost like I was really a fox. I’m gonna be so much more thoughtful of Kyuubi, now. And I liked…” Naruto blushed and smiled.

“Go on,” Sasuke urged him, intrigued.

“I liked when you fed me. I felt…” Naruto’s expression soured. “Never mind.”

Sasuke brushed the hair away from his face. “Please tell me,” he said gently.

Naruto’s eyes filled with tears. “Please don’t make me say it, Master.”

“Then,” he said, his voice rasping from his own welling emotions, “tell me what I can do for you now.”

“Please hold me.” Naruto spoke brokenly, as if it hurt to even ask. He curled upon himself and sobbed.

Sasuke lay down behind him and put his arms around him. “I’m right here,” he consoled. “I’m right here any time you need me. Ever.”

Naruto quaked silently in his arms. Cold spread through Sasuke’s chest, then to his extremities, in spite of the warm body lying against him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gaaaaaaah
> 
> Ok, so, not all tails for pet play are attached... that way. Many are. 
> 
> And... this story has freaking blown up. "It'll be 10 chapters. Max." "It'll be 11-14 chapters." No. no, no, no, we don't know how many chapters this bitch is going to be by the time she's done--sorry! 
> 
> I am sorry for the angst. I am. I will kiss it and make it all better, though. If you're reading Seeing Through New Eyes, don't worry--it will not be like that, lol. 
> 
> Note on the previous chapter: Kakashi addressed Sasuke by his given name instead of his scene name at the reception. It wasn't his fault, his protocol is impeccable. ;) That slip up was mine. 
> 
> The next chapter will explicitly describe many different kinds of scenes, as will the one thereafter. And... honestly... every chapter after that. I... think? Well, anyway, there's going to be a lot of chapters, and a lot of kink.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Sasuke and Naruto's second day at the retreat, and Sasuke has arranged for Naruto to explore the dungeon to see--and possibly try--different kinds of play.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TRIGGER WARNING**
> 
> *Kink, including bondage, sadism, and masochism, is depicted graphically.
> 
> *Humiliation/degradation/dehumanization kink witnessed
> 
> *Panic attack portrayed
> 
> I love you all, and because I believe in consent, I'm letting you know ahead of time that this chapter might be a bit intense for your tastes--that way you can opt out if you need to. You can pick up later and still keep with the plot, although you'll miss some character development if you do. I will still love you if you choose to forego.

Sasuke was a nocturnal creature. This had been a fact long before medical school, long before the emergency room demanded its grueling shifts. He could not remember a time when he had slept well at night; that was when he felt most alive, most alert. During the day, he felt sluggish and wrong.

He was surprised, then, to awaken next to Naruto, the morning sun streaming in through the window and guilding all that it touched. He took the opportunity to look his bed mate over. In his sleep, the years fell away from Naruto’s face. The sunlight caught upon the streaks of gold and platinum in the turbulent mass of hair. It kissed the brown skin familiarly and burnished it brighter.

Sasuke wanted to touch him. He wanted to run his hands over the firm sinew of his arms and chest. He wanted to touch the puckered scar on his shoulder, the wound he was always so careful to avoid, and press his lips to it.

It was not a sexual desire. It was something new and delicate—a need to commit every curve and plane to memory.

He had known Naruto would be hurt by his decision. He had not known how much. Sasuke began to doubt himself. In his fear of infantilizing Naruto, he had wounded him—and, ironically, had infantilized him even more.

His anguish the night before had torn through Sasuke’s hardened resolve. It had twisted in Sasuke’s gut, insinuating itself within his core. Two men had come to the retreat together the day before. Two completely different men would leave on Sunday, and there would be no return to what they once had been.

Sasuke slid his arm out from under Naruto’s head and gingerly began to unbuckle the leather band around his neck. In their exhaustion and grief, they had fallen asleep before Naruto could take it off. 

Naruto came awake with a hiss. “Shh,” Sasuke soothed. “I’m just taking off your collar.”

“It’s not time!” Naruto wailed hoarsely.

Sasuke’s stomach turned. “Just your pet collar. You did very well last night. I was proud of you at the dinner.”

Naruto calmed and allowed Sasuke to finish. He went to the closet and found the leather cord, hanging on its little hook where Naruto had so reverently placed it before the dinner. He removed the dog tags from the pet collar and fastened them back onto the cord.

“Here you go.” He carried the collar back to Naruto and slipped it around his neck. Naruto’s hand immediately wrapped around the dog tags, and Sasuke was reminded of a toddler clinging to the corner of his security blanket.

“Thank you, Master,” Naruto said sleepily.

“You’re welcome. You have just a little while to sleep, then you need to get up and take your medicine and get ready for breakfast.”

“Yes, Sir.” Naruto drifted back to sleep, and Sasuke did nothing but watch over him for the next hour.

“What’s CGL, Master?” Naruto asked as he looked over the schedule. He sat on the bed, glowing and damp from the shower. 

“Caregiver-little,” Sasuke said. “It’s a different kind of D/s relationship. The s-type has a persona like a child or adolescent, and their dominant takes on the role of Daddy or Mommy. Caregiver, in gender neutral terms.”

“You mean, like, fantasizing about kids?” Naruto looked at Sasuke aghast.

Sasuke laughed as he took Naruto’s clothes for the day out of the closet. “No, it’s not like that. The “little” gets the experience of being cared for like a child, but they don’t actually want to be a child. Their dominant enjoys the caretaking aspects of the relationship. It’s not about pedophilia. You know some people who engage in this play.”

“I do?” Naruto’s eyes were round and innocent-looking.

“Yes, quite a few, actually. Remember how I told you not to assume anything?”

“I remember,” he said. “I guess it just seems weird.”

Sasuke raised his brow. “Many people find those asking to be flogged, spanked, and pierced weird.”

Naruto grinned sheepishly. “Good point, Sir.” He frowned as he looked at the paper again. “Why are there so many things scheduled just for subs? I don’t wanna play with the other subs all weekend.”

“Because it’s useful.” Sasuke laid a black leather kilt on the bed next to a sleeveless, form-fitting black knit top. “You can learn a lot about the lifestyle from your fellow submissives. Especially…” he swallowed down the bile that threatened to rise in his throat, “… when you are looking for a dominant. Their insights are valuable. Don’t underestimate them.”

Naruto crossed his arms and glared. “I’m _not_ looking for another dom,” he said petulantly.

Sasuke sighed. “Here are your clothes for the day. Do you have a decent pair of underwear?”

Naruto looked at the clothes on the bed, then looked back up at Sasuke quizzically. “A skirt, Sir?”

“A _kilt_.” Sasuke held the garment up. “This is not traditionally women’s clothing.”

Naruto looked at him doubtfully.

“It was customized to your measurements,” Sasuke said. “You’ll wear it today. If you find it unbearable or humiliating, use your safeword.”

Naruto’s mouth fell open. Sasuke thrust the kilt at him. “Get dressed,” he ordered.

“Yes, Sir.” Naruto shot him one final, mutinous glare before walking off to the bathroom.

Sasuke heard him curse and squeal several times. After several minutes, Naruto stomped out of the bathroom holding the kilt together at the front.

“Master, can you please help me?” he asked, clearly aggravated.

“Come here,” Sasuke told him. He pulled the kilt open and wrapped it until it hugged Naruto’s hips as intended. He fastened it with the straps and buckles attached at the waist and tightened them. He hooked the end of a long chain onto a metal o-ring at Naruto’s left hip and attached the other end to a ring on the right at his waist so that it hung diagonally across his front.

“Do you think you can manage the shirt, or do you need help with that, too?” he asked with a smirk.

“You’re really a bastard, Sir,” Naruto said.

Sasuke gripped his hair by the roots and stared into Naruto’s eyes. The submissive’s pupils dilated, and his breath quickened. “Do you want to find out how much of a bastard I can be?” Sasuke murmured.

Naruto looked at him as if he was not entirely sure of the answer. Sasuke leaned in next to his ear. “For the next 24 hours, you’re mine. Behave like it.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto said, his voice raspy and breathless.

Sasuke released him, and Naruto picked up the shirt as directed. He pulled it on over his head and squeezed into it uncomfortably. Sasuke tugged the hem to straighten it and tucked it into the kilt.

“Go look in the mirror,” Sasuke ordered.

Naruto walked to the full-length mirror on the bathroom door. He gaped when he saw his reflection.

“Do you still think I made you wear a skirt?” Sasuke asked.

“No, Sir. Thank you, Master,” Naruto said as he preened in the mirror. He did look good. The kilt’s straps and buckles made the most of his tight waist, and Naruto’s massive, well-honed quadriceps demanded attention where the hem of the kilt ended. His chest and abdominal muscles stood out beneath the taut fabric of his shirt.

Sasuke pulled the toy bag out of the closet. “Flogger, single tail, or paddle?” he asked.

“Sir?”

“Choose which one you’ll wear,” Sasuke clarified.

“Uh, why am I wearing toys?” Naruto asked. “Master,” he quickly appended.

“You’ll be visiting a dungeon today. Highly-skilled tops will be there to provide different types of play if you choose to experiment. If you decide upon impact play, then you need to have your own toys. It’s safer for you.” It was difficult to get the words out. This, though, was part of Naruto’s training, and it was important to teach him these lessons before he set him free.

“I don’t want…” Naruto began.

“Choose one,” Sasuke insisted sternly.

Naruto bit his lip and pointed at the single tail. Sasuke walked back to him and slipped the handle into a loop sewn to the right hip of the kilt. He looped the tail through the same ring he’d attached the chain to, making a neat coil.

“You wear it on the right if you’re asking to bottom,” Sasuke explained. “If you wear it on the left, it signifies that you want to top.”

“I didn’t know that, Sir.”

“That’s why I’m telling you.”

Sasuke was proud of the attention Naruto drew as they walked to breakfast. The boy oozed confidence and sex appeal; he certainly did not look like a mousy doormat of a sub. It was gratifying for Sasuke, as well as reassuring. Doms with untoward intentions usually sought out subs who exuded insecurity.

“May I get your breakfast for you, Master?” Naruto asked.

“We’ll get breakfast together,” Sasuke told him. “Stay close.”

They had just sat down with their food when a young woman in pigtails and a pink, ruffled dress walked over to them.

“Um. Excuse me, mister,” she said to Sasuke, “my Daddy told me I could talk to your boy if I have your permission.” She put her hands behind her back and smiled at him shyly.

“You may,” Sasuke told her irritably.

Her eyes lit up when she turned to Naruto. “You were such a cute fox! I loved your whole look! I saw you last night at the dinner, but I couldn’t talk, you know, because…” she swiped her hand through the air like a cat batting with its paw, “meow.”

“Hey, thanks!” Naruto laughed. “My Master picked out my outfit.”

The girl giggled. “You looked different from everybody there! Do you think you’ll come to any other pet events? We could play! I mean…” she looked at Sasuke nervously, “you know, play fetch together or something. If it’s alright with your Master.”

“Maybe!” Naruto said. “If my Master says I can.”

“We’ll talk about it later,” Sasuke said. The girl was stealing precious time with Naruto.

“Well…your name is Kurama, right?” the girl said.

“You remembered!” This pleased Naruto.

“Well, of course! I remember all the new pets’ names. I’m FiFi. Nice to meet you, Kurama. Oooh, and I really, really, really love your kilt!” FiFi looked at Sasuke, clearly intimidated by him. “Thank you for letting me talk to Kurama, mister!”

Sasuke nodded. FiFi walked away, and Sasuke was left alone with Naruto at last.

"Master," Naruto asked under his breath, "is she a little?"

Sasuke laughed aloud, causing several people to turn and stare at him. "Yes," he said. 

"She was nice," Naruto observed. Sasuke and he discussed their plans for the day leisurely as they ate. Although they paused occasionally to greet acquaintances, Sasuke did not engage them more than was necessary. Naruto was his entire purpose for being here, and he wanted some measure of privacy to speak with him. 

The privacy did not last long.

“Look who’s here!” Kiba strutted over to their table. Hinata trailed behind him, carrying a tray laden with food for both of them. “Hey there, Raven! Permission to speak with your boy?”

“Granted.” 

“Heard you brought Red to the kennel,” Kiba said to Naruto. “Sis says you’ve been taking good care of him. You keep right on doing what you’re doing. We're all happy that Red has a good home at last.”

“Yeah,” Naruto said with a grin. “Kyuubi’s the best dog in the world. I’ll take care of him the best I can.”

Kiba gave him a genuine, heartfelt smile. “You just remember—everything you give to a dog, you’ll get back a thousand times in the love they show you.” He looked back at Sasuke. “I’ll leave you alone. I just wanted to have a word with the dog owner. Take care.”

“Thanks,” Sasuke said. Kiba strode off, Hinata in his wake. Once again, she looked down and blushed when she walked by Naruto.

“Any ideas about what you want to do today?” Sasuke asked Naruto. He already had a surprise planned for him; a highly-regarded nawashi was scheduled to do a shibari demonstration that evening. Naruto had consistently expressed an interest in this kind of bondage, so Sasuke used his influence at the club to ensure that he could bottom for the demo.

"I wanted to see the medical play demonstrations and the suspension demo, Sir," Naruto told him. "And I guess I'll go to a sub's group."

"Keep the evening free. I have something planned for you," Sasuke said enigmatically. Naruto grinned. The thrill-seeking sub Sasuke had fallen in love with peeked out, and Sasuke grinned right back at him.

Naruto met Sasuke after attending a submissives-only discussion on total power exchanges. Sasuke had spent the entire time sitting idly outside, dreading their next foray. Naruto had been surprisingly disinterested in the dungeon, but Sasuke insisted upon visiting; it was an opportunity for a few final, important lessons.

Naruto followed behind him as they walked to a large, metal building in a field. Sasuke stopped and pulled him aside before they reached the entrance.

“You’re allowed to play in the dungeon,” Sasuke told him. Naruto’s eyes widened. “I told you that there will be a lot of skilled tops here. You should know a few things, though. First of all, only do opt-in scenes. You’re still too new for opt-out.”

“Sir?” Naruto said, confounded.

“Opt-in is like the play we’ve done,” Sasuke explained. They had discussed this briefly before, but Naruto had been so excited about choosing his toys that he had stopped listening.

“You choose what you’ll consent to, and nothing beyond that is an option. If say you want to be flogged, then you’ll be flogged; you won’t be caned or whipped. Opt-out scenes rely upon you to detail exactly what you do not want, and everything else is up to the top. If you say you want to be flogged, it won't be assumed that you don't also want to be whipped or caned. You have to specify that clearly. Do you understand?”

Naruto cast an apprehensive glance at the building. “Yes, Sir, I understand.”

“Your consent is always revocable, no matter what,” Sasuke emphasized. “If anything bothers you, let me know. I’ll take you somewhere we can talk.”

“Thanks, Sir.”

Naruto tried not to gawk at the many different types of play going on. St. Andrew’s Crosses were scattered throughout, as were sawhorses. A man knelt at a prie-dieu to be paddled by a domme dressed in a latex nun’s habit in one corner. In another, a woman was suspended with her arms over her head as her dom bound and slapped her breasts with a riding crop.

Naruto looked on in fascination at every scene they encountered. At the far end of the dungeon, opposite of where they had entered, he stopped short.

“Master,” he whispered. “What are they doing?”

A man bent over a wooden support. His top stood over him, holding a wand with a tapered glass electrode at the end. They turned it on, and the electrode buzzed and glowed red. They touched it to the man’s skin in different places, producing a spark and making the man jump and giggle.

  
“Find that amusing, do you?” the top teased. They turned a knob at the bottom of the wand and increased the voltage. The next time they touched it to the man’s skin, he squealed and squirmed.

“This is electro play,” Sasuke whispered to Naruto.

Naruto watched in horrified awe as the top continued to increase the intensity of the charge, delivering ever more intense shocks to the bottom. The top removed the wand from the voltage conversion apparatus. In its place, they inserted a cable, then tucked the opposite end into their latex leggings. This time, they gently ran their fingers down the bottom’s spine.

The top now conducted the electricity through their own body, and the bottom wriggled uncomfortably with each caress. Next, the top placed pointed steel claws over their fingers and raked them up and down the bottom’s body. Naruto and Sasuke then watched as they teased the man with various metal implements, including a Wartenburg wheel and a pronged sphere. The electricity flowed from their hands through the tools, delivering highly varied sensations to the bottom’s skin.

The top paused, giving the bottom a moment to relax as they once again inserted the wand with the electrode attached into the power supply. They slipped a condom over the electrode and lubed it up. Naruto glanced at Sasuke in alarm.

“It’s made to be used internally,” Sasuke said quietly. “This is the safest toy in this room. It's just dramatic.” Naruto watched raptly as the top penetrated the man with the electrode. His eyes went round as the man moaned and screamed.

“Are you interested?” Sasuke asked him.

“Not today,” Naruto replied. He stared after the scene as they left, though.

Naruto was next drawn to a flogging scene. The bottom, a woman, was draped over a sawhorse with her wrists and ankles cuffed together and then linked to anchors in the floor.

The top used two floggers at once in a complicated figure eight. “Can you do that, Master?” Naruto asked in awe.

Sasuke was ashamed of the jealousy that filled him as Naruto marveled at the top’s dexterity.

“I was once skilled at it,” Sasuke said. “That’s Florentine flogging. I would have to practice more before I tried it, now.”

Naruto watched intently as the scene played out. The chill that Sasuke had felt when he awakened intensified and spread through his body. There were still so many things Sasuke wanted to do to Naruto, to do for him.

Naruto received many polite offers for scenes, but he demurred at each one. It pleased Sasuke; he was not eager to watch Naruto play with anyone else, even if he, himself, were encouraging it.

They were about to leave when Naruto stopped suddenly.

.

A man lay restrained in a sex sling, naked but for a black latex hood over his head and face. An assortment of items--feathers, paraffin candles, dildos, and Wartenburg wheels--sat on a nearby table along with a note saying, “Please enjoy playing with my toy. Don’t break it.”

Naruto blinked as random men and women fondled the man and plied his bound body with the items available. Naruto's face went pale. Sasuke put his hand on his lower back and whispered in his ear. “Let’s leave.”

He guided Naruto out of the dungeon. By the time they reached the walkway, it was clear that a full-blown panic attack was threatening. Sasuke put his hands on Naruto’s shoulders and looked into his eyes. “I’m right here, Naruto,” he murmured. “Tell me what you hear.”

“I…” Naruto panted, and he gripped Sasuke’s wrists. “I… hear… your voice. And… a bird.”

“Good boy,” Sasuke told him. “Tell me what you see.”

Tears filled Naruto’s eyes. “I see you,” he whispered. His eyes darted around frantically. “I see clouds. I see trees.”

Sasuke worked through the sensory exercises until Naruto’s respiratory rate slowed, then walked him back to the chalet and sat him on the sofa. Remembering how important touch was to Naruto, he sat beside him and put his arms around him. “Do you know what triggered the panic this time?”

Naruto nodded dumbly.

“You want to tell me about it?” Sasuke did not insist. If Naruto felt as if he could share it, he would listen. If not, he’d wait until he could.

“That man,” Naruto said. “In the sling. All those people touching him…”

“Yes,” Sasuke said. “He consented to that. There are people who enjoy this kind of treatment.”

“Just anybody at all could touch him. And his… owner or dominant or whatever… called him a ‘toy’ and an ‘it.’”

Sasuke nodded. “That’s a dehuminazation-degradation kink.”

“He likes it?” Naruto asked in disbelief.

“He gets some sort of satisfaction from it. Did it frighten you?”

Naruto swallowed and nodded.

“Did it remind you of something that happened to you?”

“I don’t know!” Naruto wailed. “I don’t think so. It just… made me… I don’t know why, Master!”

“That’s alright,” Sasuke murmured. “Sometimes we respond to images even if we don’t understand why.”

“I don’t wanna be like this,” Naruto sniffled. “I don’t wanna be… God. I can’t stop thinking. All the times… all the times I… I had no choices. But it's over, now. It's over, but it's still screwing with my head. I’m so fucked up!”

“You are not fucked up,” Sasuke said bitterly. “You couldn’t control what happened to you. Now that you have some control, you’ll sometimes be reminded of those feelings, and it will feel as if you’re back in the same place again. That’s normal after what you survived. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Sasuke cupped the back of Naruto’s neck with his hand. There was plenty to be ashamed of, Sasuke thought to himself, but the shame did not belong to Naruto.

“Do you need a Klonopin?” he asked.

Naruto shook his head no.

“Do you want me to hold you?”

Naruto buried his face against Sasuke’s shoulder. Sasuke tightened his arms around him and laid his cheek against his hair. “You never have to do anything you don’t want,” Sasuke murmured. “Never again.”

Sasuke wondered how Naruto would deal with these sorts of triggers when their dynamic came to an end. Imagining him struggling through panic attacks alone was far more painful than imagining his absence.

“Are you mad?” Naruto’s voice was muffled against Sasuke’s chest.

“Why would I be mad?”

“Because I didn’t play in the dungeon when you told me I could. You bought my ticket and now… I’m like a big, scared baby not doing anything.” Naruto sniffled again.

“I’m not mad at all. You decide when and where you want to play, Naru. That isn’t something you owe me for the cost of the retreat. I wanted to show you what your options were and allow you to explore them. I didn’t mean that you had to. You never have to.” Bitter, bilious guilt roiled within Sasuke.

“If I don’t find another dom, are you gonna be disappointed?” Naruto’s voice devolved into the frail, high-pitched register that Sasuke knew too well.

“What do I always tell you?” Sasuke wished he, himself could cry. “I’d be more disappointed if you took someone’s collar just to please me. I want you to be happy. I want you to be safe.”

“But I feel safe with you,” Naruto mumbled.

“I’m glad you do. I… don’t know if you are, though,” Sasuke admitted.

Naruto looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. “What do you mean, Sir?”

“Never mind.”

Sasuke held Naruto until his tears dried. Then, he held him until he felt strong enough to venture out enthusiastically again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is beginning to get some self-insight. Old beliefs and fears are hard to get over, though, even when we have a very compelling reason to do so. 
> 
> Electro-play. Electro-play, like Sasuke said, is dramatic. There are sparks, there is buzzing, and there are sensations ranging from mild tingles to jolts of "oh *shit* that hurt." But done as depicted here, it's the safest thing going on in the dungeon. Electrodes filled with different gases will glow in different colors when the electricity is flowing, but this is for show. I'm not really good at describing the technical aspects of this kink, because I get the electric lingo--voltage, amperage, wattage, etc.--confused. If you explore this sort of scene, once again, be sure to ascertain that the top is knowledgeable and that they'll listen to you if you feel unsafe. 
> 
> The scene with the man in the sex scene will be disturbing for many. I think that physical masochism is easier for most to understand than degradation and dehumanization. Yet this, too, is a drive that many people have, and they get a powerful thrill from experiences like this. I think it's healthy to explore this with someone you trust.
> 
> I wanted to show, also, that PTSD doesn't just go away when the meds kick in and life settles down into a tolerable stability. It can rear its head at any time, and this sort of scene would be the kind of thing I believe could trigger someone like Naruto. 
> 
> It's not kink shaming to say that some things are not for you, or that they give you uncomfortable feelings or that they trigger you. 
> 
> Don't worry, folks. Sasuke *will* wise up. Very soon. 
> 
> Up next, we meet old friends in unexpected places! There'll be Drama! Bondage! And Sasuke getting a fucking clue! 
> 
> Lots of love to all of you. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story and share your thoughts. What I've really loved about posting this story is that the comments are always--unfailingly--trenchant and insightful. I appreciate you reading my thoughts in this fic, and sharing yours in turn. Please keep doing that. <3


	15. Golden Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The retreat continues. Sasuke has an epiphany.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Trigger Warning***
> 
> Explicit kink described. Including: flesh hook suspension, urethral sounding, and bondage.   
> No further humiliation scenes. I promise. I'll add a horizontal line at the intense scenes. The bondage is not harsh. 
> 
> Also, violence towards the end.

* * *

“Shit!” Naruto hissed under his breath. He looked at Sasuke guiltily. “Sorry, Master.”  
  


Sasuke cracked a knowing smile. Akatsuki were demonstrating flesh hook suspension. As expected of them, they were making quite a show. Naruto watched with vivid interest as Konan and Yahiko pierced the skin of Nagato’s back, shoulders, and arms with several large, metal hooks. When they tied ropes through the eyes of the hooks, Naruto winced a little in anticipation.

When Nagato was hoisted up and suspended vertically above the floor by the hooks through his skin, he cried out in awe. He was not the only one; Akatsuki suspension scenes always evoked this reaction. Nagato hung, head even with the rafters, high above the crowd like a sacrificial messiah.

Sasuke shook his head. He knew very well what the gleam in Naruto’s eyes meant. He hoped he would take the time to find someone knowledgeable and experienced if he pursued suspension.

“That. Was. So. Cool!” Naruto said giddily as the scene wound down. “How does that work, Master? Can his skin tear like that? Do they ever fall?”

“The skin on the back is particularly tough. But they don’t rely on the skin to support the suspension; they hook it into the fatty tissue under the skin, which is stronger. They know what they are doing. They know how many hooks are needed to support Nagato’s weight. All of the original members of Akatsuki are minor experts in mechanical physics,” Sasuke explained. "Yes, though. People sometimes fall."

“He looked so… I dunno what the word is, Sir,” Naruto rambled.

“Spaced out? High?” Sasuke offered.

“Yeah. I mean, yes, Sir. Like nothing bothered him at all.”  
  


“A lot of people experience ecstasy while they’re suspended. There’s the pain of the hooks, then the tug of the suspension. Then, an initial rush of fear—for some, that’s followed by an intense rush of endorphins. Basically, they’re high on their own neurochemicals.”

Naruto’s enthusiasm was a welcome change. Sasuke did not want to leave the chalet, initially; he was concerned about Naruto’s anxiety. Naruto finally told him that sitting still was making the panic worse, so he escorted him to the demos he had mentioned at breakfast.

* * *

Naruto was still abuzz when they made it to Otogakure’s medical play demonstration. Here, too, Naruto was riveted. Scarlet, whom Sasuke knew in vanilla life as Karin, expertly tormented Juugo. She pierced the skin over his shoulders and back in intricate designs. Then, she used a set of forceps to tug on his nipples.

“Whoa!” Naruto murmured in appreciation as Scarlet speared two fine-gauge needles through each nipple. Juugo just barely flinched as the needles pierced the sensitive flesh.

Not yet to be outdone, Scarlet used a skin stapler to make two arcing, metal tracks over Juugo’s pectorals. A fine sheen of sweat covered Juugo’s skin, and his eyes were glassy. He breathed rapidly through the pain of the stapling.

Scarlet then lowered Juugo’s pants and fondled him until his penis was fully erect. Naruto grimaced in sympathy as she lubricated a thin, metal rod.

“Master,” he whispered in Sasuke’s ear, “what is she going to do with that, Sir?”

“Urethral sounding,” Sasuke whispered back.

Naruto made an involuntary “eek” when Scarlet inserted the rod through the meatus of Juugo’s cock.

“Is that safe, Sir?” Naruto asked him anxiously.

“It’s safe only if the top is very aware of what they’re doing. Scarlet is.”

“Does it hurt?” Naruto continued.

“Probably,” Sasuke told him. “But the sounds can also sometimes stimulate the prostate internally.”

Scarlet penetrated Juugo’s urethral opening again and again with progressively larger sounds. Naruto squirmed each time, but he could not look away. In fact, he edged closer to the stage.

“Is this something you’d like to try?” Sasuke asked him.

Naruto looked at him with an odd expression on his face. “If you were still gonna be my dom, then yes, Sir. But I don’t trust anybody else.

Sasuke bit his tongue to distract himself from the sharp bolt of pain that ran him through.

* * *

Naruto and Sasuke both grew more somber and introspective as the day progressed. Neither was highly motivated to interact with anyone else. Scenes that once would have piqued Sasuke’s interest seemed dull and uninspiring, now. The thrill of novelty from Akatsuki’s and Otogakure’s demonstrations wore off, leaving Naruto listless and disinterested. Sasuke hoped that the shibari demonstration would perk Naruto up; he wanted to see that spark of enthusiasm in his sub one more time before they parted ways.

“You’re still interested in the shibari demonstration?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto shrugged. “Yes, Sir, I guess so.”

The sun began its westward descent. Sasuke and Naruto walked to the site of the shibari scene, each of them deep in thought. Most of the retreat attendees gathered, also; the nawashi was said to be as reclusive as he was gifted, and this would be the only chance most of them would have to see his work in person.

At the site, a large, wooden framework had been erected. The nawashi was engrossed in laying out several coils of colored rope. Sasuke recognized him from a distance; Naruto smiled in happy surprise.

Sasuke led Naruto to the frame and the pale man so busy with his ropes. “I might have known that you would be the ‘world-renowned rigger,’” he said. His voice did not betray the twinge of jealousy that pinched so uncomfortably.

Sabaku looked up. “Good to see you here. I’m Kazekage, yes.” His eyes lit upon Naruto, and his smile widened. “Is one of you my model?”

Sasuke took Naruto’s hand and looked into his eyes. “I asked for you to model for the shibari demonstration. Would you like to do it? It will be fine if you don’t. There are alternate models standing by.”

Naruto looked at Sasuke in shock. “Me? You got me into the demonstration?”

Sasuke froze. Once again, he had acted without consulting Naruto. “I wanted it to be a nice surprise for you. But arrangements were made in case you did not want it.”

“I want it!” Naruto said quickly.

Sasuke turned to Gaara. “This is Kurama. He’s to be your model.”

The revelation seemed to please “Kazekage.” His expression gave little away, but his body language softened when Naruto neared.

“Hello, Kurama,” he said in his soft, low voice.

“Uh, hello, Kazekage,” Naruto said. “It’s really cool to see you here!”

“You as well. Have you ever experienced shibari before?” Gaara asked.

“No,” Naruto answered. “I’ve been wanting to try it, though.”

“Do you want to try it today?”

“Yeah! I do.”

“Have you ever been restrained?” Gaara continued.

“Yes.” Naruto blushed. “I’ve been on the cross, and Sas—er, Raven—has tied my wrists and ankles before.”

Sasuke himself flushed at the memory of Naruto, tied and trembling in anticipation of Sasuke’s whip.

Gaara continued probing. “Did you panic in any of those situations?”

“No, never,” Naruto said proudly.

“This will be very different,” Gaara admonished. “It will take longer, for one thing. You will be completely suspended by rope, for another. Do you feel comfortable safewording if things get too intense for you?”

“Yeah,” Naruto assured him.

“We’re going to use the traffic light system of safewording.” Gaara unrolled a length of beige, hemp rope as he spoke. “If you find yourself getting nervous or needing an adjustment, say ‘yellow.’ If you need to stop completely, say ‘red.’”

He shook out the rope. “Sometimes it’s hard to voice fear or panic. If that happens, hold up two fingers to indicate that you need an adjustment. Hold up your index finger if you need to call a halt. Can you do that for me?”

“I can,” Naruto said. The color was coming back into his face, and the spark Sasuke had been missing began to revive in his eyes.

“This isn’t just domination and submission for me,” Gaara said solemnly. “This is an art form. It’s a connection to another person, a bond of trust. Do you trust me to have your safety and emotional well-being in my hands?”

“I do,” Naruto averred. The phrase made an ugly feeling boil in Sasuke’s stomach.

“Can I trust you to communicate your needs to me?”

“You can! One hundred percent, guaranteed!” Naruto was now practically thrumming with excitement.

Gaara gave a small but affectionate smile. “Good. This is how it’s going to go. I’m going to build a network of rope on this frame. Then, I’m going to bind you. Ropes will be used to hoist you upwards, and I will bind you to the network I’ve created. Does this sound good to you?”

“Yeah! Yeah! That sounds amazing!” Naruto looked at Sasuke with shining eyes. “Did you plan this for me?”

Sasuke nodded. Naruto flung himself at him and hugged him gratefully. “Thank you, Master!”

Sasuke patted his back awkwardly as he and Gaara exchanged an amused glance. “You’re welcome.”

“Your dominant will be with you the entire time,” Gaara told Naruto. “If you find that you can’t communicate with me directly, you can communicate with him. He also has the option to end the scene if he feels it’s in your best interests.”

Naruto grinned determinedly. “Don’t worry, I’ll communicate! Raven, you’re gonna be so proud of me!”

“I am proud of you,” Sasuke said quickly.

“Even prouder, then!” Naruto insisted. A lovely shade of pink rose in his cheeks.

Gaara began looping rope through anchor points on the frame. “Tell me right away if you feel any numbness or tingling at all. That shouldn’t happen. Same thing for pain. This isn’t a test of your pain threshold. Tell me immediately if you feel any discomfort, numbness, or pain. Will you do that?”

“I will,” Naruto said confidently.

“Be sure that you do,” Sasuke admonished. “The bondage itself should not be painful.” He remained wary of Naruto’s need for approval.

“Yes, Sir. I promise. I swear. I’ll tell you or Kazekage if anything hurts or goes numb, Sir.”

“One more thing,” Gaara added, “you need to shed some clothing.”

Naruto looked at Sasuke uneasily.

“Are you alright with this?” Sasuke inquired.

“Well, yeah. I just didn’t know if I was allowed, Sir.”

“This is about you. It’s about what you can accept.” This would be the last time Sasuke would have any authority over a scene involving Naruto. He had to make this moment meaningful, had to impart one final, crucial lesson to his submissive about his own importance.

“I can do it.” Naruto appeared older and far more self-assured than Sasuke had ever seen him.

The impression was immediately undercut by the sheepish look Naruto gave him. “But I’m gonna need your help with the kilt, please, Sir.”

Sasuke laughed quietly. “Come on.”

By that point, a significant crowd had gathered. Sasuke was aware of all the eyes glued to Naruto as he unbuckled Naruto’s kilt. He took his time unwinding it from around Naruto’s body. He felt lost when he was done.

Naruto peeled the skin-tight shirt away from his body and over his head. He almost tossed it heedlessly onto the ground, but Sasuke looked at him sternly. He folded the shirt neatly and handed it to Sasuke. His jaw dropped when he turned around.

Gaara had already constructed a network of rope on the frame. It was symmetrical and precise, and Sasuke envied the knot-work. The crowd hushed as Gaara took his place before his web.

He did not explain what he planned to do. He said nothing of his technique. He did not even introduce himself to the spectators. He looked towards Sasuke and Naruto.

“My model, please,” he said, his voice managing to be both soft and commanding.

Sasuke took Naruto’s hand and walked him to the frame. Naruto instinctively knelt on the grass.

“You’ll be standing for this one,” Gaara told him.

He raised Naruto’s arms outwards at shoulder height, then wrapped the twisted hemp rope around his chest. Sasuke found it almost hypnotic to watch him wrap and tie the rope; Gaara was unflappable, and his skill unerring. Despite the Zen-like tranquility of his work, Naruto was soon completely bound in criss-crossing ropes over his torso and back.

Gaara wrapped the rope similarly around Naruto’s arms and legs, although he did not immobilize his limbs.

The golden light of late afternoon anointed Naruto. Sasuke was transfixed by him. He had taken on an ethereal quality, as if he were a demigod deigning to set foot among humans. He choked up. His eyes burned.

Could he turn this boy away? After all they had experienced, and all Naruto had learned… and all Sasuke had learned from being with him… after all that Naruto still needed from him...

It was not a matter of trusting another dom with him, he realized as he watched Gaara bind him. It wasn't a matter, even, of trusting Naruto's judgment or savoir-faire. _He_ wanted to be the one who comforted Naruto when he needed it. _He_ wanted to be there for the nightmares and the panic episodes. Not because Naruto was weak or needed his guidance…

But because he loved him. Purely and simply, Sasuke loved him, and that love was separate and distinct from their dynamic.

Perhaps Kakashi had been right; if he were honest with Naruto, then maybe Sasuke could gain some insight about how to be better to him. Perhaps he had been rash and thoughtless—or perhaps he had just thought of the wrong things.

Naruto might not want to maintain their dynamic after Sasuke’s repeated declarations about ending it. That began to matter very little to Sasuke, though. He no longer wanted to make the most of Naruto’s submission. He wanted to make sure that, whatever Naruto decided, he came away knowing that he was valued and loved.

Naruto sought Sasuke out with his eyes. Their eyes locked, and nothing—not the nawashi with his intricate knots, not the crowd—existed except the two of them. Naruto’s eyes teared up. Sasuke’s did, as well. He smiled reassuringly at the bound boy.

_I’m here,_ he willed him to know.

Naruto smiled as if he had indeed intercepted Sasuke’s attempt at telepathy.

Gaara had Naruto turn around so that the crowd could see the bindings from the backside. He looped another rope through at what Sasuke now understood to be anchors in the knots. Gaara did this several times at several different points. Naruto turned his back to the web once again; Gaara then gathered the ends of the ropes he had attached to the original bindings and linked them through the top center of his web.

A church-like hush fell over the crowd as Naruto was lifted—slowly and deliberately—and suspended upon Gaara’s web. Gaara attached him by the bindings at his back to the web, then lifted his right arm with ropes so that he could secure it in place at shoulder height.

He did this with the other arm, as well, then both legs. Naruto now looked as if he had truly been caught in a spider’s web. The rope and their criss-crossing patterns were deceptively delicate-looking; Sasuke knew, though, that they were strong and secure.

He walked to the web and put his hand on Naruto’s leg as murmurs of appreciation rippled through the spectators. “Are you OK?” he asked, softly enough that only Naruto and Gaara could hear.

“Yeah,” Naruto murmured. “This feels amazing.”

“Would you like additional sensations?” Gaara asked Naruto.

“What kind?” Naruto asked. The answer filled Sasuke with fierce pride.

“Nothing painful. Something very gentle that will not leave a mark.”

“Yeah, then, I’d like that,” Naruto said.

Gaara went to his bags and retrieved a Hitachi wand similar to Sasuke’s. Using a step stool, he touched it to the web around Naruto and turned it on.

“Oooh,” Naruto breathed.

“Does it feel good?” Sasuke asked.

“Yes, Sir, so good!”

Gaara raised the vibration to the next setting.

“Aaaah, oh m’god…” Naruto closed his eyes and smiled blissfully.

Gaara touched the wand to different parts of the web so that Naruto could feel the vibrations through the rope. Naruto gazed at Sasuke with a dreamy look, as if he were about to drift off into a comfortable slumber.

Gaara handed the wand to Sasuke. “Touch it to the knot at the center of his chest,” he said softly. “Use the stepladder.”

Lulled into a state of tranquil contentment, Sasuke did as Gaara instructed. When he touched the vibrating wand to the knot, Naruto’s eyes flew open wide, and he looked at Sasuke in surprise.

“Still OK?” Sasuke asked.

“’m good, Master,” Naruto mumbled. “This feels so good.”

Sasuke pet his hair as he experimented with the wand at different points on Naruto’s bindings. He had forgotten about the crowd, but the soft applause reminded them that they had an audience. He stroked Naruto’s face tenderly. “You’re such a good boy,” he whispered into his ear.

“Thank you, Master,” Naruto replied. Twilight descended as they murmured softly to each other. The cool, autumn breeze rocked Naruto gently in his shibari web.

Gaara carefully freed Naruto from his bindings after he had been lowered from the web. His arms and legs shook a bit, and he was unsteady on his feet. Sasuke wrapped his arms around him and lowered him to the grass. He massaged Naruto’s muscles as Gaara unwound his web and organized his ropes.

Naruto smiled peacefully in Sasuke’s arms. “Thank you, Master.”

“Hm. Did you enjoy it?” Sasuke asked, smiling back. He already knew the answer.

“I really did.”

“Are you a rope bunny, now?” Sasuke asked. He tickled Naruto's side briefly, just enough to make him squirm.

Naruto giggled like a child. “I think I am.”

“We’ll have to figure out what to do about that,” Sasuke replied. He looked down at Naruto tenderly. “I’m sorry I set you up for the demo without asking.”

“What!” Naruto cried. “It was the best thing, ever. I’m really glad you did.”

“I still should have asked.”

“I don’t care. I trust you. Didn’t I tell you that before?” Naruto said, somewhat crossly.

“You did. And I have to be worthy of that trust.”

Naruto tapped him on the nose with the tip of his finger, making Sasuke laugh unexpectedly. “You are. Or you wouldn’t have it, y’know?”

Sasuke bent and kissed the top of Naruto’s head. Naruto responded by snuggling more closely against Sasuke’s body.

Saturday night’s dinner was held on the terrace of the main house. Torches and braziers lit the area and provided welcome warmth, as well. Most of the retreat attendees were giddy and eager to socialize.

FiFi bounded over to Naruto. “Can I talk to your boy, mister?” she asked Sasuke hastily.

“Yes, you can,” Sasuke said. His lips turned upwards slightly. Naruto shot him a grateful look.

“You were so, so, so great!” she told Naruto, jumping up and down excitedly. “Was it nice? Did it feel good?”

“Yeah,” Naruto said enthusiastically. “It felt crazy good. Especially when they used that vibrating thingy!”

“You’re so lucky,” FiFi said with a pout. “I wanna be tied into a web, too, but Daddy says I can’t play with anybody but him.”

“Aww, I’m sorry,” Naruto consoled. “My Master fixed it up for me for a surprise.”

“You’re so lucky,” FiFi sighed.

Naruto looked at Sasuke. “Yeah. I am. I am really lucky.”

“Hey, mister,” FiFi said, “can Kurama come and meet some of the other subs? Pretty please?”

“Do you want to, Kurama?” Sasuke asked.

The shibari demonstration and the aftercare had restored some of Naruto’s equilibrium--as well as his usual extroversion.   
  


“I’d like to, please, Sir,” he said.

“You may. Remember your rules about alcohol.”

Naruto thanked him and walked off with FiFi to join a group of submissives gathered on the lawn. 

“Is that your single tail?” Sasuke heard FiFi ask Naruto.

“Yeah! Isn’t it cool?” Naruto said.

“It’s gorgeous! Does your master use it on you?”

“When I’m good, he does.”

Sasuke chuckled to himself. He could not hear what they discussed after that; they were absorbed into the submissives’ group.

Gaara came out of the shadows and stood next to him. “You found the best place at the party,” he said drolly.

“Agreed.” Sasuke always stood on the outskirts; he hated being in the middle of crowds. “Thank you for giving Kurama a good experience today.”

“Thank you for allowing me to,” Gaara replied. “You’re both fortunate. The trust between you is almost touchable.”

Butterflies somersaulted in Sasuke’s stomach. “I hope so,” he said quietly.

“Have you had a drink?” Gaara asked.

“No,” Sasuke said. “I never drink at these things.”

“Not even a coffee?” Gaara prodded. Amusement danced in his eyes.

Sasuke could use the caffeine. So much had happened today, and he had awakened early after a late night. “Coffee’s good.”

“They have a coffee bar on the other end. We can go around the patio and avoid the crowd,” Gaara said.

Sasuke shrugged. He caught Naruto’s eye across the terrace and jerked his head towards the coffee bar Gaara had told him about. Naruto grinned at him and gave him a thumbs-up.

Gaara and he walked silently to the coffee bar. Most of the attendees had opted for alcoholic beverages, so it was fairly quiet. They ordered their coffees and drank them silently.

Gaara hummed thoughtfully. Sasuke looked up at him.

“If I thought I could have a relationship like yours, I might change my stance on taking a sub,” he said unexpectedly.

Sasuke blinked. He hoped that relationship would be intact when they left the retreat the next day. “I wasn’t anticipating it,” he admitted. “I didn’t want a submissive.”

“I don’t want mindless obedience or timid submission,” Gaara added. “I don’t want someone who’s overly bratty, either. I’d come to believe I wanted the impossible, until I saw you and Kurama together.”

“Tch.” Sasuke rolled his eyes. “He’s not overly bratty. But he’s not timid, either,” he acknowledged.

Pieces clicked into place in Sasuke’s mind. Naruto was no longer a sub who would let him go too far. They trusted each other, but Naruto had a backbone, and he had learned to use it to stand up for himself in their dynamic. If he had bothered to think about any number of conversations he had had with Naruto in the past months, he would have realized that he was capable of deciding what he wanted and needed for himself.

“ _I don’t care what you say. I don’t give up that easy. I don’t mean to leave that weekend without your collar.”_

“ _You’re a bastard, Master, Sir.”_

“ _Don’t explain anything else to me! I’m done with this conversation. Cinderella, and all that.”_

Sasuke lost his breath as he replayed the last comment in his mind.

“Are you alright?” Gaara asked.

“I’m fine,” Sasuke choked out.

Naruto had safeworded because Sasuke had violated the rules of their dynamic. He understood that his opinion ought to be considered before major decisions were made. He used his safeword to let Sasuke know that he was capable of discussing Sasuke’s concerns without ultimatums—because the conversation did not honor the core concepts Sasuke had worked so diligently to instill.

His heart pounded in his chest. He had to have a serious conversation with Naruto, and he needed to do it quickly.

Gaara looked away, then frowned. A crowd had gathered at the other end of the terrace, and the atmosphere was unaccountably tense. Sasuke’s intuition, what his colleagues in the ER called his “sixth sense,” told him something was terribly wrong. He jumped up hastily, paying his tottering chair no mind as he strode across the terrace. He pushed through the crowd unapologetically.

He understood why his intuition had been so insistent when he saw what had drawn the crowd.

Kabuto and Naruto stood in front of the dessert table. Naruto glared militantly at Kabuto, who taunted him with his smug expression. In Kabuto’s hand was Naruto’s single tail. Sasuke did not have to work too hard to guess that Kabuto had taken it away from him.

Naruto’s feet were planted widely apart, and he stood tall. “I said, give it back. It’s not yours.”

“You don’t even know what one of these can do,” Kabuto sneered, pulling the whip away from Naruto’s reach. “I could teach you.”

Sasuke moved without thinking. He gripped the single tail and yanked, pulling Kabuto back to face him and wrenching the whip from his grasp. His fist crashed into Kabuto’s face.

Kabuto reeled and stared hatefully at him. His glasses were bent askew, and his lip had already begun to swell. Sasuke got into stance as Kabuto took aim.

“Don’t touch him!” Naruto cried.

Naruto charged Kabuto and knocked him to the ground. They both grappled for dominance as Sasuke stood dumbstruck. Kabuto managed to get to his feet, but Naruto stood and shoved him backwards.

Kabuto fell against the table, knocking it to the ground, and Naruto fell on top of him. Before Sasuke could intervene, he had straddled Kabuto.

“Don’t…” _punch_

“...touch…” _punch_

“ _..._ things that don’t belong to you! No means no, you slimy fucking piece of shit!”

“Get him, Kurama!” FiFi cried out in encouragement. The other submissives in her little group took up the cheer.

Sasuke snapped back into reality and rushed towards the melee. Kakashi reached Naruto first, though, and pried him off of Kabuto. Jirobo, Otogakure’s giant of a dungeon monitor, picked Kabuto up and frog-marched him away from the crowd.

Naruto squirmed, his arms pinned to his sides by Kakashi and Sakura. His face was almost purple, and a vein throbbed in the middle of his forehead.

“Bring that sack of shit back here, I wasn’t finished with him!” he roared. Sasuke had never heard that voice before.

“Be quiet,” Kakashi ordered. 

Sasuke reached out for him, but Kakashi pushed him back. “Take him back to his cabin,” Kakashi told Sakura. “Don’t leave until he calms the fuck down.”

Kakashi turned to Sasuke. “We need to talk.”


	16. We Need to Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi has words with Sasuke. Sasuke has a long-needed conversation with Naruto.

Sasuke glared and turned back towards Naruto, but Kakashi grabbed him roughly by the arm. “Now,” he said. The quiet voice belied Kakashi’s anger, and Sasuke knew better than to disobey.

Kakashi turned and walked towards the main house. Sasuke followed behind him like a chastened schoolboy on his way to the headmaster’s office. “I need to check on Naruto,” he demanded.

“You can check on him when we’re done. He’s safe with Sakura, and you know it.”

They entered the house through the kitchen; Kakashi opened the first door he came to. “Come on.”

Sasuke grudgingly obeyed. The room was a larder of sorts, with shelving covering every wall from ceiling to floor. Dry goods were perfectly organized throughout. It gave the entire situation an absurd, surreal quality.

“That was a foolish thing to do,” Kakashi said. He looked into Sasuke’s eyes steadily.

“I’d already warned Kabuto…” Sasuke began.

“You could have found a dungeon monitor or someone from Kirigakure,” Kakashi interrupted. “The way we handle shit like this is important. This isn’t news to you.”

“Kabuto has been harassing Naruto for months! Every time we see him—at the club, here… He does it openly!” Sasuke raged. On the terrace, he had been in a blank, reflexive state. As he defended his actions to Kakashi, the blankness morphed into burning fury.

“You have a problem,” Kakashi stated flatly. “When it comes to Naruto, you don’t think before you act. That’s not just a PR issue, it’s a personal issue that’s going to take you down, and Naruto with you, if you don’t get some self-awareness.”

The rage seeped out of Sasuke’s body, leaving him shaky and morose. His shoulders sagged. “Then… it’s for the best if I take back my collar.”

Kakashi did not roll his eyes. He did not have to. Sasuke knew every subtle expression.

“Naruto is a member of the club. You will see him again, Sasuke. Are you going to attack everyone who leers at him or touches him?”

Sasuke frowned. He didn’t want to think about seeing Naruto at the club without his collar and protection.

“Ending things with Naruto isn’t going to fix this,” Kakashi went on. “He brings out a side of you that you’ve repressed for years. Instead of embracing it, you strangle it until it explodes like a hydrogen bomb. It doesn’t matter if you take back your collar or not. Your responses to him are going to hurt the both of you if you don’t manage yourself really goddamned quickly.”

Sasuke stared at Kakashi silently.

“Your behavior tonight could have repercussions for all of us. If you pull anything like this again, I’ll have no choice but to end our partnership at the club. I hope you know how much that would grieve me.”

“I understand,” Sasuke said softly.

“Deal with your sub as you see fit,” Kakashi said. “But remember he was following you, his dominant and mentor in this lifestyle.”

With that, Kakashi held the larder door open and motioned Sasuke out. He had never raised his voice or lost his calm. He had threatened his partnership with the club, though—Sasuke and Kakashi both held their partnership in the highest esteem, and he would never have idly suggested ending it.

A girl in a latex maid’s uniform stopped him on his way out. “Mistress will speak to you, now,” she said haughtily.

Sasuke followed her through the kitchen and into the foyer of the palatial home. The latex maid walked swiftly to a heavy, oak door and held it open.

Sasuke walked into a lavishly appointed library. The maid left, closing the door behind her. Mei stared long and hard at Sasuke from behind a polished mahogany desk. “Please sit,” she said.

Sasuke recognized the command for what it was, despite Mei’s courtesy. He took a seat in a burgundy leather armchair.

“If you were anyone else,” Mei began, “you’d already have been kicked out and given a lifetime ban. The only reason you aren’t is because of your long and spotless history in our community.”

“Understood.”

“Is it, really?” She leaned across the desk and peered into his eyes. “Kirigakure is literally my home. Your behavior here tonight makes me liable.”

Sasuke felt a pang of guilt.

“Many of the subs who witnessed the _inciden_ _t_ rushed to tell me how inappropriate Kabuto was with your boy. I understand your anger,” Mei said sympathetically, “but it’s not excusable. Should Kabuto sue Kirigakure, my family will be exposed to intense scrutiny. Even if just he alleges that you assaulted him, you won’t be the only one under the magnifying glass. We’ve worked hard to counteract distorted views of our lifestyle. Violence sets that work back. _”_

The gravity of his choices settled onto Sasuke’s shoulders. “I’m sorry. I’ll leave if you wish.”

“I just told you I _don’t_ want to ban you. I like you, Raven, but if you commit the slightest infraction going forward, you will earn that lifetime ban, no questions asked. The same goes for your sub. You’re his mentor, please guide him better.”

“Thank you. I will.”

“I have to figure out how to preempt a lawsuit,” Mei said tightly. “See yourself out.”

Sasuke nodded and walked out the door.

Sakura met him at the door when he came back to the chalet. She rubbed her eyes wearily. “He’s calmed down and had a bath,” she said, then left without niceties.

Naruto was sitting on the sofa, angry and unrepentant. “You gonna punish me, Sir?” he asked belligerently. “Because I’m not sorry for what I did.”

Sasuke ran his hands through his hair and let out an exhausted sough. “No. I’m not going to punish you. We’ll talk about Kabuto later.”

Naruto’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“You weren’t in the wrong. I was,” Sasuke said.

“What?” Naruto protested. “It wasn’t you! It was that fucking Kabuto…”

“Naruto…”

Naruto stopped talking immediately.

“My behavior…”

He struggled to think of the right phrasing.

“… it has consequences. Not just for me, but for our community. I was wrong. It’s simple.”

Naruto stared at him silently.

“I’m going to wash up,” Sasuke said. “Could we talk when I come back?”

Naruto nodded, and Sasuke walked away.

He reflected over what Kakashi had said, balancing it against his own realizations concerning Naruto. He had acted rashly and had overstepped his bounds on almost every front.

And he had done all of those things because he was so in love with Naruto.

He corrected himself.

He had done those things because he was so _terrified_ of being in love with Naruto.

He was known for being shrewd and rational, for keeping a cool head in dire situations. Naruto melted the ice walls he had constructed around himself, though, before he was ready. He hadn’t communicated his feelings with Naruto because he could barely admit them to himself.

He was no more reasonable than a child who refuses to look under the bed at night, certain that a monster will be made flesh if they peek.

When he returned to the living room, Naruto was not there. Sasuke pushed open the back door of the chalet and found him sitting on the patio next to a crackling fire in a chiminea.

“You built this?” Sasuke gestured towards the fire.

Naruto nodded. “There was some wood stacked up out here, and there were matches in the kitchen. I figured nobody would mind if we used it.”

“I didn’t read any rules against it,” Sasuke said. He took the other chair by the fire. “You’re full of hidden talents.”  
  
Naruto smiled into the fire. “Me and Sora used to go camping a lot. I learned how then.”

“That was your first boyfriend?”

“Yeah. I mean… yes, Sir.”

Sasuke eased back in his chair. “We can drop the formality for now.”

“Good,” Naruto said. The look in his eyes was unfamiliar to Sasuke. He watched sadly as Naruto reached behind his neck to unclasp his collar.

“I’m not giving this back, just to make it clear,” Naruto snapped. “I wanna talk man-to-man. Not dom-to-sub. And I want you to listen to me, this time.” Sasuke nodded. Naruto carefully laid the collar onto the side table between them.

“I don’t wanna give your collar back,” Naruto said heatedly. “You shouldn’t have decided to end things without telling me what was going on, anyway.”

“I agree,” Sasuke conceded.

Naruto’s brow rose in surprise at Sasuke’s admission, but he quickly switched back to his defiant demeanor. “I don’t wanna give the collar back. But I want a new agreement. No, that’s not it. I don’t want a new agreement. I want an amendment—is that a word?” Sasuke nodded. “I want to make an amendment to it. No, make that two amendments.”

“All right,” Sasuke said tensely.

“First of all. Amendment one. You don’t get to take back your collar and I don’t get to take off your collar unless we talk it out first,” Naruto insisted.

“I will agree to that,” Sasuke said.

Once again, Naruto seemed surprised, but he carried on. “Amendment two.” His bravado faltered. He looked shy of a sudden, and anxious.

“Amendment two?” Sasuke prodded.

Naruto cleared his throat. “Um. Where our agreement says ‘this doesn’t mean we have a sexual or romantic relationship,’ or whatever it says…” he drifted off nervously.

Sasuke was just about to prompt him again when he blurted out in a rush, “It should also say that it doesn’t mean we _can’t_ have a sexual or romantic relationship.”

Naruto wriggled uncomfortably in his chair, but he glared at Sasuke when he caught his eye. He took a deep breath.

“I love you, and I think you’re in love with me. And I definitely want a sexual relationship.”

Sasuke gawked at Naruto openly. “You…”

“You heard me!” Naruto preempted. “Don’t you dare pretend you didn’t. And don’t you talk down to me about kink not meaning sex. It doesn’t mean no sex, either.”

“No,” Sasuke allowed. “It doesn’t mean that.”

“So?” Naruto asked impatiently. “I just told you I’m in love with you and want a sexual relationship with you.”

Sasuke laughed and leaned his head back. “I heard you.”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Naruto challenged.

Sasuke laughed again. In the firelight, Naruto looked like a wrathful, mischievous sprite.

“What are you laughing about?” Naruto’s voice was full of hurt.

“Myself,” Sasuke said. He smiled gently at Naruto. Naruto frowned as he tried to work out what Sasuke was going to say next.

“I’ve wanted you since the first time you called me master and knelt for me,” Sasuke confessed. “I’ve loved you since I gave you the training collar.”

Naruto looked at him in astonishment.

“I should have talked to you,” Sasuke admitted. “I was afraid of burdening you. I was afraid of _hurting_ you. You don’t know me well outside of my role in our dynamic, Naruto. There are things that you don’t understand about me.”

Naruto frowned. “Yeah?” he said combatively. “Well, you hurt me anyway, trying to push me away. And I do know you!”

“Naruto…”

“Shut up! I know when ‘hn’ means, ‘that’s funny,’ and when it means, ‘shut up,’ and when it means, ‘I don’t wanna talk about it now.’ I know you don’t like coffee, but you drink it because you never get enough sleep, but only when you’re out of the house, because you hate the way most places make tea. I know tea means something special to you, even if I don’t know what. And,” he leaned forward to stare into Sasuke’s eyes, “I know what you’re really scared of.”

Shocked, Sasuke reflexively leaned back. “What do you…”

“You’re scared of being out of control,” Naruto broke in. “When we went rappelling, you were okay with the height and the jump. You lost your shit when you saw the belayers, though. You didn’t like having to trust them. I saw it on your face. I’ve seen you look like that before, too.”

Sasuke was intrigued. “When?”

Naruto got up and walked to Sasuke’s chair and knelt in front of him. “When we kiss.”

Sasuke dared not move, nor even breathe. Naruto held his entire life in his hands.

“Kiss me,” Naruto demanded. “Please.”

“Naru…” Sasuke murmured weakly.

They looked at each other for several seconds. Naruto’s bravado and anger began to crack; a single tear fell from his eye. Sasuke traced its path with his thumb.

“I love you,” Naruto rasped.

“I love you, too.” Sasuke held Naruto’s face in his hands delicately. He wanted to drink in this moment. He kissed Naruto’s forehead gently, then his cheek. He kissed both eyelids, then lifted Naruto’s hands. He pressed his lips to his open palms, and Naruto trembled and sniffled.

He leaned in brushed his lips over Naruto’s—and even though they had kissed before, it felt like the first time. It was tender, almost chaste, like a kiss between two innocents. Sasuke wondered if he had avoided kissing before because he had been waiting specifically for Naruto’s kiss.

His tongue prodded tentatively at Naruto’s lips, and Naruto opened up to welcome him in.

Naruto whimpered as their tongues slid against each other. The sound emboldened Sasuke. He gripped Naruto’s hair at the roots and pulled him closer so he could thrust into the warm, wet cave of his mouth with abandon.

Naruto gripped Sasuke’s shoulders and mewled when Sasuke gently sucked his tongue. Then, Naruto was in his lap, tangling his hands in Sasuke’s hair, and Sasuke’s senses were full of him. They pressed against each other hungrily as their kisses became more urgent and feverish.

His inner sense reminded him that there was more, much more, to be discussed. He pulled away reluctantly, regretting his decision when he saw how plump and wet Naruto’s lips were.

“We still need to talk,” Sasuke panted.

Naruto groaned. “We already talked!”

“You talked,” Sasuke corrected. “You said important things. Now, I need to talk to you.”

Naruto crossed his arms and pouted, but he said nothing more. He got up from Sasuke’s lap and sat down in his own chair.

Sasuke had never shared with anyone the truths he was poised to utter to Naruto. It was daunting to open the doors Sasuke had closed so completely against old feelings. Naruto had bared himself to Sasuke, though, so Sasuke would accord him the same respect.

“I became part of the lifestyle when I was 18,” he began. “I found Kakashi’s club on the internet my freshman year of pre-med. I didn’t play at all for the first year, but I finally asked Kakashi to mentor me.”

“Were you… you know…” Naruto asked, awkward but also curious.

“Sexually involved with him?” Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded.

Sasuke laughed. He recalled the perfunctory, almost clinical handjob Kakashi had given him once during an intense scene. “No. He was my dominant. He helped me explore my kinks from the submissive’s perspective. It was freeing. I came to understand my desires better, and I became more disciplined. He is a sadist—like me. He taught me how freeing pain could be in the right context. I saw how inflicting pain could be an act of service within the proper constraints. I left Kakashi’s mentorship understanding my sadistic urges and how to be responsible with them.”

“You were a sub?”

“You’re surprised,” Sasuke observed.

“Yeah! I am. You’re so dominant in life,” Naruto said.

“I believe almost everyone has some submissive traits and some dominant ones. At that time in my life, I needed to submit. I needed the release. I also needed the submissive’s perspective. I have no use for dominants who refuse to accept the discipline they so eagerly serve to others,” Sasuke finished.

Naruto stared at him in adoration.

“I needed submission for a lot of reasons,” Sasuke said uneasily.

“Like what?” Naruto pried.

Sasuke flinched. The memories were still painful, the scars tender under exposure.

“I discovered sex with my highschool boyfriend. He was a grade below me. He came to my boarding school on scholarship.”

“You went to boarding school?” Naruto seemed to regard this as an exotic experience.

“I did. We were expected to get good grades and keep up a good image for the school. The first was easy. I didn’t care about the second. I was an angry boy figuring out his sexuality in a milieu where it wasn’t accepted. So was Emmet.”

Naruto looked on solemnly as Sasuke spoke. “Emmet was smart and sharp-tongued, so we got along immediately. I had money, though, and he did not.”

Sasuke’s heart pounded rapidly. “I could afford whatever substances I wanted. I didn’t mind sharing with him. He had never tasted alcohol before he came to our school. I initiated him.”

A hard lump formed in Sasuke’s throat. He could barely swallow around it. “Sex was like another drug for us. He craved pain. I… wanted to cause that pain.”

A spark flew from the fire. Sasuke watched it land on the patio and burn itself out. There was a bite to the night air that had not been there when he had first come out. Naruto pulled his feet up onto the chair and wrapped his arms around his knees; waited patiently for Sasuke to finish.

“We had no sense of limits. We had no sense at all when we were together. He asked for more and more pain. I obliged. If I didn’t, he found ways to hurt himself.”

“On the night I graduated, we were drunk and high on coke—I think we took pills of some sort, too. He begged me to hurt him while we were having sex, and I did.” Sasuke’s hands shook. The blood drained from his face. “I went too far. He had to go to the hospital.”

“Sasuke!” Naruto cried. He threw himself onto Sasuke’s lap and embraced him tightly. “That’s awful! I’m so sorry.”

“That’s not the worst,” Sasuke choked out.

Naruto gently ran his fingers through Sasuke’s hair. “What happened?”

“He wanted to pick up where we’d left off, but I was ashamed of hurting him so badly. I was even more ashamed that I had _wanted_ to hurt him. I stopped returning his calls. I deleted his texts and emails without reading them. I was about to go away for college, so it was easy to avoid him.”

Naruto kissed the top of his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “Was that it?”

“No,” Sasuke said in a small, hoarse voice.

Sasuke blinked back the tears he had held back for 16 years.

“He attempted suicide,” he croaked. “He overdosed and nearly died. He was in a coma for a week. I’m certain that I gave him some of the drugs he used.

Naruto pulled him closer. Sasuke laid his forehead against his chest and wept silently. He felt as if he was 17 again, full of guilt and grief and fear, all alone with the certainty that he was a monster. He wept convulsively in Naruto’s arms.

“Sasuke,” Naruto said softly, “is that why you asked if I could be left alone with my medicine?”

Sasuke jerked his head in affirmation.

“Did you ever talk to him after that?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke shook his head and swiped at his eyes. “I was afraid if I saw him we’d go back to the way things were. I was afraid… I might… really hurt him. In a way he could not recover from.”

He allowed Naruto’s warmth to envelope him. “I made it my goal to control myself enough that I couldn’t hurt anyone else. I stopped using drugs and drinking. I didn’t date. I hated who I was. I was sure that I was gravely disordered; I researched my desire to cause pain so I could figure out how to cure myself.”

“You felt like that when you were just a kid?” Naruto asked sadly.

Sasuke shook Naruto’s answer off like a troublesome mosquito. “I discovered BDSM through my research,” he continued. “Then I met Kakashi. Since then, I’ve never had a problem controlling myself. Except… with you.”

Naruto went stiff in his arms. “What’re you talking about?”

Sasuke put his hands on Naruto’s shoulders and gently pushed him back so he could look at him. “I become reckless when I’m with you. The way I took over after Hidan hurt you would be the first example.”

“But…” Naruto started.

“Let me finish,” Sasuke said carefully. “I overrode your desires when your car broke down. I didn’t allow you to speak to the mechanic or ask questions. I didn’t even give you time to think. I pushed you into buying a car when you weren’t ready.”

Naruto huffed in exasperation. “Sasuke, don’t be a dumbass…”

“Naruto.” The sharp tone of voice immediately arrested Naruto’s arguments. He straightened his back without thinking and gave Sasuke his undivided attention.

“I put you on display for the piercing demonstration before you’d had any experience with needle play,” Sasuke went on. “Then there’s Kabuto.”

“But that was great!” Naruto’s voice was shrill with disbelief.

Sasuke laughed tiredly. “Hitting Kabuto was rewarding, but it wasn’t the correct response.”  
  


“He deserved it, Sasuke. That guy’s a douche canoe.”

“Yes, he is.” Sasuke smiled weakly at Naruto’s colorful speech. “But I didn’t think of how my actions would reflect upon the lifestyle, either.”

“People like him can’t be allowed to just roam free and do what they want.” Naruto spoke in a low growl, and Sasuke was reminded of how wild he had been when he went after Kabuto.

“There are ways to handle people like him. Kakashi would have kicked him out of the club the first time he harassed you, if I’d told him—but I didn’t. I lose my sense with you, Naruto,” Sasuke said helplessly. “I don’t think. I lose control of myself. I despise dominants who take over their submissives’ lives, and I don’t…”

He stopped short. Even considering the words made him cringe.

“You don’t what?” Naruto pressed.

The warmth drained from Sasuke’s face and hands. His heart fluttered rapidly. “I don’t… want to hurt you,” he finally said.

Naruto’s mouth dropped open, and he threw his hands up in exasperation. “Sasuke, you idiot. That’s what you’ve been worried about?”

Sasuke scowled. “Did you not hear anything I said?”

“Yeah, I heard you. You think you’re gonna hurt me just because you did fucked up shit with your first boyfriend?”

“Emmet wasn’t my first boyfriend, Naruto. He was my only boyfriend,” Sasuke said stiffly.

“Sasuke…” Naruto pet him and kissed his face. “You hurt so much, didn’t you?”

Sasuke melted into the comfort of Naruto’s touch. Naruto moved back, though, and sat up angrily.

“But that’s a bunch of bullshit,” he said flatly. “ _You_ taught me how to stand up for myself. You taught me that boundaries are important. You taught me that _I_ was important. You were the first person to tell me that. I mean, yeah, you kinda took over after I got fired. But I couldn’t think straight right then. You didn’t do those things to control me. You did them because you cared about me.”

Naruto rested his forehead against Sasuke’s. “You do care about me, don’t you?”

Too overwhelmed to speak, Sasuke nodded.

Naruto smiled at Sasuke and tugged gently at a strand of his hair. “And the play piercing thing was great! It made me feel like I was really yours, like you were proud of me. It felt like a reward.”

“I _was_ proud of you. I am proud of you.”

“I _know_ that, dummy. ‘Cause you told me. How many times did you ask me if I was alright when you were piercing me? If I’d safeworded, you’d have told me that I did the right thing. You’d have made me feel good about stopping it.”

Naruto kissed his lips. “If you go too far sometimes, I can tell you, can’t I?”

Sasuke shook his head. “I insist that you tell me.”

“See, Sasuke? You aren’t who you were, then. You’re not an angry kid trying to figure out sex and BDSM. And you’re not an abusive asshole. Trust me, I know all about those.”

Sasuke grimaced angrily. “I know you do.”

“You’re not who you were in highschool, or you wouldn’t have taught me about finding my limits. And I’m not your highschool boyfriend! I might’ve been like that before, but I’m not, anymore. Because of you.”

Naruto’s words sank into Sasuke’s mind. His past had defined him; Naruto had just upturned that definition.

Naruto giggled youthfully and wrapped his legs around Sasuke’s waist. “Our relationship is predicated upon mutual trust and communication,” he intoned, mocking Sasuke’s mannerisms and voice. “So why don’t you trust me to set limits?”

“Don’t use my own words against me,” Sasuke groaned in mock irritation. A cold weight lifted off of him. It was an almost physical lightness, and he felt heady and free.

“I _will_ use your own words against you, if you’re an asshole that tells me he’s gonna take his collar without talking to me first.”

“I’m sorry,” Sasuke said. “I was wrong to do that.”  
  


“Yeah, you were. If you ever do anything like that again, I’ll hunt you down and pummel the shit out of you. You know I can, too,” Naruto warned.

Sasuke laughed and gripped Naruto’s hips. “Yes, I know you can. I’m confident you would.” He brought their lips together for a sweet, prolonged kiss.

“I love your kisses,” Naruto said wistfully when they pulled apart to breathe.

Sasuke brushed the hair away from Naruto’s brow tenderly and kissed him again.

Naruto pushed him back. “So wait. We love each other. Are we, like, boyfriends? Is that how this works? Or am I a sub with benefits?”

Sasuke brought his hand down on Naruto’s ass with a smart slap, making him wriggle and yelp. “You are definitely not a sub with benefits. What do you want to be?”

“I wanna be boyfriends,” Naruto said eagerly. “And I wanna be your sub, too.”

Sasuke took Naruto’s hand and laced their fingers together. Shyness, foreign and novel, made him feel peculiarly delicate. He looked down and smiled. “You can be both.”

“I’ve got a boyfriend!” Naruto chanted gleefully.

Sasuke grew serious once more. “I have some stipulations.”

“Oh god, _no._ No more ‘stipulations!’”

“Yes,” Sasuke said. “I insist.”

“Pfft. Let’s hear it, then, and I’ll see if I agree to it.” Naruto crossed his arms and poked out his bottom lip.

“Bratty sub,” Sasuke said affectionately. “We need to know each other better. I’d like to… date you. Take you out.”

“We’ve already been out!” Naruto argued.

“No we haven’t,” Sasuke said irritably. “Play sessions don’t count as a date. Neither do job interviews nor car shopping.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about! The rappelling lessons were definitely dates.”

Sasuke was confounded. “You asked me to go rappelling as a date?”

“Yeah?” Naruto said. “I asked you to do something with me. We went out. I kissed you goodbye at the end. How is that not a date?”

“I didn’t know,” Sasuke said honestly.

“You’re a moron,” Naruto said with a smile. “So you wanna date?”

“Yes,” Sasuke said. “I want to spend time with you that isn’t related to kink or sex. No sex until we know each other better.”

Naruto’s eyes widened. “No sex? God, Sasuke, how many dates do we have to go on before we know each other enough to have sex?”

Sasuke mulled it over briefly. “Five.”

“Fine. Five dates. But the rappelling dates count as three.”

Sasuke growled. “Naruto…”

“Nope. Uh-uh. Not gonna listen. You made your ‘stipulations,’ my stipulation is that the rappelling lessons count as dates.”  
  


“The rappelling lessons count as dates, then. But we go out for a total of six dates before sex or kink is on offer,” Sasuke said. The conversation was becoming very strange.

Naruto huffed irritably. “I’ll agree. Asshole.”

Sasuke laughed and pulled him down into his arms. He was solid and warm against Sasuke, and it was remarkably easy to trust the bond between them.

“Sasuke,” Naruto murmured into his neck, “are you still gonna take your collar back?”

“No,” Sasuke said emphatically. “I’m not taking my collar back. I decided during the shibari demonstration that I wouldn’t.”

Naruto’s head shot up, and he looked at Sasuke in happy surprise. “Really?”

“Really,” Sasuke affirmed. “I decided I wasn’t going to leave with it in my pocket unless you took it off. You were justifiably angry with me—I thought you might.”

Naruto growled. “I was pissed at you. But no way was I taking it off. I told you that, didn’t I?”

Sasuke buried his face in Naruto’s wild hair and chuckled. “You did.”

“Will you put it back on me?” Naruto asked. His vulnerability and fear echoed in his voice.

He took Naruto’s hand. “I will.” He reached for the collar with his free hand.

“No, no, no, we have to do it right!” Naruto cried. He pushed himself out of Sasuke’s lap and knelt at his feet. The dying fire glowed orange behind him.

Sasuke’s initial reaction was amusement at Naruto’s insistence upon ritual. As he took the collar in his hand, though, as Naruto knelt for him, he felt as if something sacred were happening.

Naruto bowed his head. Sasuke tilted his chin up with his finger.

“I want you to look at me,” he said.

Tears glistened in Naruto’s eyes, just as they had during the shibari session. Sasuke’s throat clenched and his hands shook.

“You’re the only person worthy of this collar,” he said as he clasped it around Naruto’s neck. “You’re the only person I ever wanted to give it to.”

Naruto bowed his head to look at Sasuke’s dog tags. He touched them reverently, then looked up at Sasuke with a soft, open smile.

Sasuke leaned forward and took Naruto’s face into his hands before kissing him passionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, so it was hard to write this chapter after all the action of the previous ones. But I know you were waiting on the cliffhanger to be resolved, and honestly, so was I. 
> 
> Now you know about Sasuke's past with Kakashi. And, why Kakashi brought him up short after the Kabuto incident. And why Emmet was such a sore point for Sasuke. 
> 
> Also, why Sasuke told Naruto that subs who didn't know their limits were dangerous to themselves and others. His response was more than just that Naruto had reminded him of Emmet, lots of subs could do that. It was that he loved Naruto, and that jarred and frightened him after his only experience with affection. 
> 
> Let me know what you think! THANKS for all the wonderful reviews! They made me so happy!


	17. Every New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's one day left of the retreat. Naruto unwittingly becomes a celebrity; he's introduced to a new kind of play.

Sasuke disentangled himself from Naruto’s arms and legs. He yawned and stretched languidly in the early morning light, then looked at the boy sprawled out next to him. He and Naruto were together. Sasuke felt almost euphoric. 

After he collared Naruto the night before, they had kissed until the night chill chased them inside. Inside, they snuggled and whispered softly through the night. There was so much left to say, even after their long discussion; Sasuke told Naruto how beautiful he was and how much he had enjoyed showing him off. Naruto told Sasuke how he had “fallen in love just a little bit” the night he treated him in the ER. 

They had contentedly submitted to sleep enmeshed with each other, and Sasuke was unburdened in a way he never had been. He would have stayed in bed with Naruto all day—but other responsibilities demanded his attention.

He picked his phone up from the bedside table and walked downstairs to sit on the patio. He thumbed through recent texts and calls, looking for a number he had not bothered to save. When he found it, he stared at it blankly for a moment. He took a deep breath, then dialed. 

“Sasuke?” Emmet answered sleepily on the third ring.

Sasuke swallowed. Emmet’s voice had his newly-acknowledged emotions spiraling through him again. “Emmet. Apologies for calling so early.” 

“No, it’s OK, Sasuke. Is everything alright?” 

“I’m dating someone,” Sasuke blurted out clumsily. 

He heard movement on the other line—the rustle of sheets, the creak of a bed—and then a soft yawn.

“That’s great! Good for you.”

“He’s the first,” Sasuke said quickly.

“The first since… then?” 

“Yes.”

Across the distance between them, he heard Emmet sigh tiredly. “Sasuke…”

“I’m sorry, Emmet.”

“I told you, you don’t…”

“No,” Sasuke interrupted, “I do have to. I… wish I hadn’t frozen you out. I didn’t…”

Emmet waited silently for Sasuke to express himself.

“I didn’t want to hurt you again. I didn’t want…” Once again, the tears beckoned. His throat ached, and his eyes burned. He had denied himself this grief at 17.

“I know you didn’t,” Emmet said quietly. “I know. I do.”

For several seconds, the two men sat in silence. His body remembered anew the pain of learning that Emmet had been found, unconscious and near death, full of pills he had saved for the occasion. 

Emmet broke the silence. “Sasuke, you know my overdose wasn’t about you, don’t you?”

Sasuke did not know what to say; he sat silently, lost in the thawing memories of his youth. 

“I was a boy who needed help that wasn’t provided,” Emmet said. “That wasn’t on you. You were just a kid.”

“I cared about you.” Sasuke’s voice creaked like a rusty hinge. 

Another few seconds of silence. 

“I know,” Emmet replied at last. “I cared about you, too.”

After another measure of silence, Emmet asked softly, “Can I tell you something? Something I should have told you when we met.”

“Yes,” Sasuke said.

“I was so lonely at that school. You were the only person who understood me. The closest I came to happiness in those years was the time I spent with you.”

Sasuke blinked as the tears prickled his eyes. “Same.”

“I’ve always treasured that,” Emmet said softly. “I always will.”

“Me, too.” 

“Take care of yourself,” Emmet said. Just before he ended the call, he added, “Be happy, Sasuke.”

Sasuke sat on the patio and silently allowed his tears to fall. 

When he felt steadier, he walked back to the bedroom. 

Naruto was splayed, starfish-style, across the bed. Sasuke stroked his hair lovingly, then lightly traced his profile with his finger. There had been so much angst and drama this weekend—Naruto would naturally be exhausted. Sasuke decided not to wake him for breakfast. 

He lovingly touched the collar on Naruto’s neck. He belonged to him. He belonged with him. Sasuke kissed his forehead.

Naruto briefly opened his eyes. “Sir… where…” 

Sasuke caressed his face gently. “Shh, Naru. I’m going to get breakfast for us. You can sleep.”

Naruto smiled lazily and immediately flopped over again to sleep. 

Sasuke hoped to act as a buffer. Their peers would be curious after the tussle with Kabuto, and he preferred to allow them to sate their curiosity with him instead of Naruto. 

As expected, he received a lot of attention in the dining hall. 

“Where’s Kurama?” Guren demanded. Sasuke grinned; Naruto so easily won over cold, reserved people. 

“Sleeping. I’m getting his breakfast,” he answered shortly. 

“Tell him thank you for tearing into Kabuto. He’s had it coming for a long time,” she said. “There are a lot of us who wanted to do what he did.”

“Why didn’t you do it, then?” Sasuke goaded.

Guren rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t risk a good manicure on trash like Kabuto.” Her eyes hardened once again. “You didn’t punish him for hitting him, surely.”

“How could I? I threw the first punch.”

“You better not have. It’s bad enough you’re taking back…”

“Guren.” Sasuke interrupted her sharply. “I’m not taking back my collar.”

Guren’s eyes softened just a little, and she smirked. “Seems you’ve learned you have something worthwhile with that boy. Good for you.” 

She walked away with her usual frigid hauteur. 

In the line for pastries, Kiba clapped him on the shoulder. “Last night was epic, Raven. Defending what was yours… and your boy was impressive, too. There’s something about a spirited slave.”

“He’s not my slave,” Sasuke clipped out.

“Yeah, but there’s still something about a spirited slave,” Kiba said. The rough-mannered man shared a knowing look with Hinata and smiled. She blushed and looked away. 

“Tell him he did a good job. We’re better off without trash like Kabuto,” he finished.

“No argument.” 

He was poised to leave, his hands full with his and Naruto’s breakfast, when Orochimaru stopped him. 

“How is your lovely young man this morning?” he inquired. “I hate to think he has a wrong impression of our gatherings.”

“He’s sleeping. He is perfectly fine.” Sasuke felt a rush of cold rage as his old professor spoke. Kabuto could have been stopped sooner had Orochimaru told the other clubs that he’d been banned from Otogakure.

“One feels horrible, Sas—ahem. Raven,” Orochimaru said heavily. “I was Kabuto’s mentor. I don’t understand why he strayed from the guiding principles of our lifestyle.”

“That’s on Kabuto,” Sasuke snapped. “There’s nothing to be done, now. You should have let the other clubs know that you’d expelled Kabuto, but you didn’t. That’s where your responsibility for Kabuto’s actions ends.” 

Orochimaru sighed. “I cannot argue with the truth. I apologize. Otogakure will be more circumspect in the future.”

“Do that.” Sasuke broke free of Orochimaru and walked back to the cabin. 

Naruto had just come from his shower when he arrived at the chalet. He greeted Sasuke with a quick kiss.

“So many asked about you,” Sasuke said with a smile. “You are a celebrity.”

Naruto grinned smugly. “See? Everybody knows Kabuto had it coming.” 

Sasuke set their food down on the coffee table. 

“Mmm, pastries! Thank you, Master!” Naruto tackled Sasuke and toppled him backwards onto the couch. He kissed Sasuke all over his face. “I love you.”

Sasuke laughed and held Naruto’s face to kiss him properly. “I love you, too,” he said when he finished. 

He gently pushed Naruto off of him and set out their food; a boiled egg and some pastries for Naruto, a cup of fruit for himself. Naruto snuggled next to him as they ate. 

“What’s happening today, Sir?” Naruto asked.

“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Sasuke said sternly, but the quiver of his lip betrayed his amusement. 

Naruto swallowed his pastry with a chastened look. “What are we doing today, Master?”

Sasuke twined a strand of Naruto’s hair around his finger. “We will get dressed, then there will be pony play demonstrations. After that, lunch, and then home.”

Naruto sighed mournfully. “I don’t wanna go home. I’ll have work, and you’ll have work, and…”

Sasuke halted his sentence with a fierce kiss. “And we will make time to be together, because it’s important,” he finished for him. 

Naruto’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Sir. It is.” He straddled Sasuke’s lap. “Can today count as Date 4, Sir?” he asked huskily. 

Sasuke smiled wickedly and slapped his ass. He pecked Naruto on the lips. “No,” he said. “Three more proper dates.”

Naruto huffed and pouted. “You’re so mean, Master.”

“You love it,” Sasuke teased. He ran his fingers up Naruto’s spine.

“Yeah, aaaah! I do.” Naruto arched his back and squirmed at the pleasurable sensation. 

“Be a good boy and get up so we can get dressed,” Sasuke commanded.

“Yes, Sir.” Naruto reluctantly slid off his lap—making certain he brushed Sasuke’s bulge on the way off—and walked upstairs. 

Sasuke groaned when Naruto was out of earshot. Naruto had apparently declared war on the six-date rule, and Sasuke was feeling the first sortie’s effects. He had told Gaara the night before that Naruto was not overly bratty. Clearly, he had spoken too soon. 

Naruto dressed in a tightly-fitted pair of black jeans that Sasuke had bought him, along with the crimson silk shirt from the first night. “I like wearing your colours, Master,” he said with a blush. 

Sasuke pulled him close and rested his hands on his hips. “I love you wearing my colours.” He kissed Naruto’s cheek and smoothed down his hair. “That colour looks good on you, besides.”

“Thank you, Sir.” He looked so pleased that Sasuke resolved to compliment him as often as possible. 

Before Sasuke could button up his own shirt, he caught Naruto staring. “What?” 

Naruto brushed his hand over Sasuke’s chest and pulled gently on his left nipple ring. “I forgot about these.”

Sasuke grimaced. His nipples were incredibly sensitive, and having the rings tugged had always aroused him. 

“Oops, sorry, Sir, did I hurt you?” Naruto asked, jumping back.

“No,” Sasuke ground out awkwardly. 

Recognition dawned in Naruto’s eyes. He grinned maliciously. 

“Don’t even think about it,” Sasuke warned. “I will punish you, and it will not be fun.”

“You said no kink until after our sixth date,” Naruto reminded him smugly. “Sir.”

Sasuke leaned close to Naruto’s ear. “Your punishments will just accumulate interest that way,” he whispered. He nipped at Naruto’s earlobe and made him gasp before pulling away and getting dressed.

Clearly aroused, Naruto stood staring at Sasuke with his mouth agape. Sasuke returned his malicious grin and walked downstairs. 

They were preparing to leave when someone knocked at the chalet door. Sasuke opened it and found one of Kirigakure’s latex-clad helpers; this time it was a man in tight, latex short-shorts and suspenders. 

“Mistress wishes to see Raven and his boy, Kurama,” he said. “I’m to escort you to the main house.”

Sasuke frowned. “Give me a moment. We’ll be out shortly.” 

He closed the door on the young man and walked back into the living room to Naruto. “Mei wishes to speak to us,” he said. “This is a high-protocol environment. Whatever is said, respond truthfully and respectfully. That’s very important.”

“Are we in trouble, Sir?” Naruto asked, his brow furrowing in concern. 

“I don’t think so,” Sasuke said. “They aren’t pleased with what happened last night, but I was told we are not being banned. We’ll see what she says. Just remember what I’ve told you.”

“Yes, Sir,” Naruto answered, once again the respectful submissive. 

He and Sasuke went outside where the Kirigakure boy waited. Sasuke gave him an encouraging look, and he took his place two steps behind Sasuke to his right. They followed Mei’s messenger back to the main house and into the library where Mei had admonished Sasuke just the night before. 

This time, Mei sat on a divan facing two chairs. “Please take a seat, Raven. And this is Kurama?” Mei addressed Sasuke.

“Yes, that’s Kurama,” Sasuke said. He watched Naruto from the corner of his eye as they sat. 

“Raven, I would like to speak to Kurama, if I might have your permission,” Mei said graciously. 

“Of course,” Sasuke said. Naruto shifted his eyes towards Sasuke, but otherwise, he remained poised. 

Mei turned towards Naruto. “Kurama, I want to apologize for the way Kabuto treated you during the retreat. There is no justification for a submissive being treated so.”

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Naruto said in a deferential tone.

“Do you understand why Kirigakure bans violence, though?” she asked. Sasuke knew that this was as much a test of his leadership as it was a lesson for Naruto.

“Yes, Ma’am. It can bring bad attention to the community. I’m sorry I fought with him.” Naruto spoke with courteous sincerity.

Mei smiled, clearly pleased with his answer. “That’s correct. You’ve been taught well. I want to let you know that Kabuto was escorted off the premises immediately last night, and he will not be invited back to Kirigakure.”

“Thank you, Ma’am,” Naruto replied.

“It’s our duty. We don’t tolerate abuse or menacing here. Should this occur in future visits, let any of us know. We’ll stop it in its tracks.” Mei looked at Naruto affectionately. “Your dom has a distinguished reputation throughout our region. I’ve heard many positive things about you, as well, on this retreat. I’m pleased you could join us this year. You’ll control your temper if you visit again?” 

“Yes, Ma’am, I will,” Naruto assured her. 

“I’m relieved to hear that. Would you leave your sir with me for a moment?” 

“Yes, Ma’am.” Naruto walked to the door and showed himself out.

Sasuke raised one brow. Mei’s face was pale and pinched. “I received word that Kabuto was arrested last night.”

“Why?” The news should not have been as surprising as it was. 

“When he left Kirigakure, he made a stop at a bar on the interstate. Someone noticed that he was behaving strangely with another customer and confronted him. The police were called, and Kabuto was found in possession of rohypnol, among other controlled substances.”

The news percolated through Sasuke’s mind, dividing it in two. On one hand, Kabuto’s arrest meant that he was not presently a danger, and it was unlikely he’d sue Kirigakure. On the other, Sasuke was sickened to consider what Kabuto might have done had he got Naruto alone. He imagined dozens of unpleasant what-ifs. 

“I’m sorry that we permitted him into our retreat,” Mei confessed regretfully. “I wish you’d handled things differently, but I feel I understand. Neither you nor your sub will be on probation.”

Sasuke maintained his composure, but he boiled with anger. “You should say these things to my submissive. He’s the one Kabuto targeted. No one from Kirigakure intervened when Kabuto put his hand on Kurama and his property.”

Mei looked discomfited for a brief moment. “You’re right. This is an area where we must improve. I leave it to your judgment to tell Kurama. Since he was unable to fully enjoy the weekend, we are extending to the two of you an invitation to visit for a weekend at your leisure. We only ask that you make arrangements ahead of time so we can be prepared.”

“Thank you,” Sasuke said courteously. 

Mei’s features hardened. “Do not take this as an invitation to throw fists indiscriminately,” she warned.

“I wouldn’t dare,” Sasuke droned. 

With that, Mei dismissed him. He found Naruto in the foyer pacing nervously. Naruto grinned when Sasuke took his hand. Together, they walked to the field where the human ponies would perform.

Since Ino and Sai were demonstrating, Sakura had saved seats in the front row for the two of them. She grinned when she noticed their joined hands. Kakashi too, looked at them pointedly. Sasuke’s face and chest warmed as he took his seat next to Naruto. 

“Master, what’s a human pony?” Naruto asked. 

“You’ll see,” Sasuke told him with a smile. 

Just then, a phalanx of leather-clad pony-girls, with hoof-like footwear and gloves, trotted out in formation to the field. Naruto watched in confusion and wonder as they did a “dressage” routine to music. They walked back to the stable when their routine was complete. After a brief pause, the announcer introduced Ino and Sai. 

Sai pulled Ino out to the field in a small cart. He was dressed in shiny black leather pants with a long, horsehair tail, a harness, and a hood with a black plume at the front and a mane His vision was mostly obscured, and he was fitted with a bit in his mouth. Reins were attached to the bit and to his harness. 

“Can he really pull her, Sir?” Naruto whispered.

“Watch and see,” Sasuke instructed him. “And don’t let Ino hear you ask that question if you value your face.”

Naruto tried not to laugh as Ino used reins, a whip, and a riding crop to direct Sai around the field. When she was done, everyone stood and applauded. 

“Can he see in that hood, Master?” Naruto asked. 

“Not well,” Sasuke replied. “That is why Ino has the reins. They have practiced this for a long time, so he relies upon the way she pulls the reins to know which way to go.”

This stunned Naruto, and he looked at the sweat-coated Sai with newfound respect. 

A group of men came out to the field and set up a series of barrels and temporary swinging gates.

“I’ve heard that the pony’s owner is Kazekage’s sister,” Sakura whispered to Sasuke. 

The domme, a tall, haughty-looking blonde, entered in her miniature chariot, pulled by a single man in matte black leathers and a horse’s tail. The domme cracked her whip over her pony’s head, and he took off. Although he looked thin and spindly, he pulled the chariot with unhesitating speed. 

Guided by his mistress, he maneuvered around the barrels. At the first gate, everyone gasped as the domme cracked her whip, looping it around the latch to pull it open. The pony pulled her through the gate without slowing down. They did this three more times before circling the field, and the domme led her sweating, heaving pony off the field. 

Several other ponies and their dominants displayed different skills; some were ridden, others did routines similar to the dressage ponies from the beginning. Still others raced around obstacle courses. Naruto watched each performance with curiosity and appreciation. He was quick to applaud when the show came to an end. 

“You ready for pony play?” Sasuke asked slyly. 

Naruto looked at him in alarm. “No, Sir!”

“Hard limit, or soft?” Sasuke continued to tease. Pony play was of no interest to him. 

“Hard limit, Sir!” Naruto said. “Those guys work so hard!”

“You’re safe. It’s not my kink,” Sasuke said.

Naruto looked back at the field where the ponies gathered to chat. “They are pretty amazing though, aren’t they, Sir?”

“They’re very disciplined.” Sasuke took Naruto’s hand. “You have to know your partner well to do some of those things.”

“That’s why it’s so impressive!” Naruto said enthusiastically. He moved closer to Sasuke and whispered quietly, “I thought it was gonna be so silly, Sir. But they were kinda fun!”

They attracted stares as they walked to the dining hall for lunch. Sasuke was unsure if it was because they were holding hands or because of the fracas with Kabuto. 

They sat with Kakashi and Sakura; Ino soon joined them, along with a tired-looking Sai. Naruto looked at Sasuke importunately. 

“What is it?” Sasuke said in his ear.

“I want to talk to Sai,” Naruto whispered back. 

“Ask Ino if you may.”

“Excuse me, Miss Ino?” Naruto began. 

Ino beamed at him indulgently. “Yes, Kurama?”

“May I please speak to Sai?” 

Ino looked at Sasuke in surprise. “What good manners you have for someone so new, Kurama. Yes, you may speak to Sai. He may speak to you, too.”

Naruto grinned at Sai. “You did such a great job!” he raved.

The praise pleased Sai. He smiled wearily at Naruto. “Thank you. I’m glad you appreciated it.”

“Appreciated? I was blown away! You’re a really strong pony! How long did you have to practice for that?”

“A year,” Sai said proudly. 

This impressed Naruto more. 

“We’ll do even better next year,” Ino vowed. “Damn Temari, showing off with that whip. I’ll have Sai doing the same thing in no time.”

The entire table tittered at Sai’s dismayed expression. 

Ino turned her dazzling smile on Sasuke. “May I speak to Kurama, Raven?” she asked.

Sasuke waved his hand in assent, and Ino’s smile widened. “Kurama, what was your favorite part of the weekend?”

Naruto’s hand reflexively went to Sasuke’s collar, and Sasuke knew he was thinking of the night before. He found Naruto’s hand under the table and laced their fingers together. 

“I liked most of it, Miss Ino,” Naruto began, “but I think my favorite was the shibari.”

“You looked stunning in those ropes,” Ino told him. “I’m happy Raven set that up for you.”

“Me too!” Naruto agreed fervently.

“Was there any other part you enjoyed?” Ino pushed. 

Naruto grinned and blushed. “The pet dinner,” he said. 

The dinner seemed like a distant dream. Naruto’s response brought back all the pleasure Sasuke had taken in having his complete obedience—not to mention the extraordinary view of his ass. His cock stirred in his pants inconveniently. 

“You were an adorable fox,” Ino said. “What did you like the best about being a pet? It can be demanding, and lots of people find it silly.”

Naruto shot Sasuke a heated look that let him know that the event had been just as pleasurable for him. “I liked the way Raven always knew what I needed. We communicated even though I couldn’t talk. And,” he said sheepishly, “I liked the outfit.”

Sasuke had also liked that outfit. A lot. 

“I like being a pony for the same reasons,” Sai said. “I have to depend on Mistress’ guidance and trust her to understand what I need.” Ino smiled softly at him and stroked his hair. 

“It sounds like Kurama had a wonderful time at his first retreat. What about you, Raven? Anything new to tell us?” Sakura prodded Sasuke. 

He looked at her in annoyance. “Such as?” 

“Such as you holding hands with Kurama,” she said gleefully. 

“What?” Ino leaned across the table with her eyes big. “Holding hands?”

“Mhm!” Sakura told her. “All the way through the pony demonstrations. And when they walked to lunch. And right now, under the table.”

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, silent laughter dancing in his eyes. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes. “Yes. We are holding hands. Is it a slow news day?” 

Ino laughed and tossed back her hair. “Number one, you’ve never been seen holding anyone’s hand,” she pointed out. “Number two, we’d heard you were taking back your collar.”

“How does news travel so fast,” Sasuke muttered unhappily. Beside him, Naruto froze; the reminder of Sasuke’s previous plans blindsided and wounded him. Sasuke stroked his hand soothingly. 

“I’m not,” he said clearly. “He wore my collar here, and he’ll wear it back home.”

“Ohhh!” Ino cried out, clasping her hands together. “That’s so sweet! Kurama must be really special.”

“He is,” Sasuke said fiercely. Beneath the table, Naruto squeezed his hand gratefully. 

Kakashi yawned. “Glad to see you got some sense.”

Naruto gave Sasuke a sideways look full of “I told you so, Sir.” Sasuke resigned himself to the embarrassment. He’d earned it. 

In the middle of dinner, Mei surprised everyone with an announcement. “Dear friends,” she said heavily, “today I learned that this retreat hosted a criminal.”

The entire dining hall went silent. 

Mei continued. “I take our submissives’ safety very seriously. I say “our” submissives, because when they are here, I consider them our family and our responsibility. There are, unfortunately, those who do not respect submissives and do not concern themselves with consent. I’m saddened more than I can say that someone of this caliber entered these gates.”

She paused and cleared her throat. “In the interest of safety going forward, we will require everyone to be vouched for by your local clubs, even if you have attended in past years. We will also increase security.”

The news was met with scattered applause. “We’ve always supplied our dungeons and demonstrations with plenty of monitors. Beginning next year, we will have monitors at our dinners and receptions, as well. I’ve been in discussion with the heads of the regional clubs. Over the next twelve months, we will discuss how we might better ensure everyone’s safety.”

Naruto glanced at Sasuke. Sasuke squeezed his hand gently. 

Mei wearily and somberly looked out over the crowd. “Finally,” she said, “Kirigakure does not condone violence. However,” she stressed over the rising murmur of the diners, “if anyone finds themselves in an unsafe position, and there are no security personnel available…” 

She straightened her back and glared. “… then you defend yourself however you need to.”

Many of the submissives cheered this statement. Naruto looked at Sasuke in astonishment. 

“Know that we are sorry and that we take this seriously. Please drive home safely,” Mei finished before she swept out. 

Kakashi caught Sasuke’s eye, and Sasuke understood; as much as he might call Sasuke out, he would also defend Naruto’s rights.

After the dessert, many of the submissives who had witnessed the fight asked permission to speak to Naruto. They unanimously agreed that he had defended both himself and his dom admirably. Several dominants told Sasuke that he was right in protecting his submissive, and that they now would ensure that their subs learned to defend themselves. 

One of Kiba’s Gorean confreres heartily slapped Sasuke on the back. “That’s a fine boy you’ve trained,” he said in a booming voice. “The way he defended you was honourable. You should think twice about our society, Raven. The two of you would fit in better than you think.” 

He did not give Sasuke time to retort before he walked away.

Naruto grimaced at the mention of entering the Gorean group.

“Not a chance,” Sasuke said sotto voce. Naruto grinned and relaxed. 

Everyone had heard about Kabuto’s arrest, and everyone was shaken by it. Sasuke’s behavior became a daring defense of his precious submissive rather than a needless act of violence. 

Sasuke knew it was not so simple. He’d been enraged because it was the only way he could express his emotions for Naruto at the time. He was looking forward to expressing his love in more constructive ways.

Kyuubi barked happily when he saw Naruto at the kennel. 

“He’s been a sad boy,” Hana told him. “He missed you something fierce.”

“Aww.” Naruto squatted down and petted Kyuubi lovingly. “I missed him, too.” 

The fierce-looking dog sniffed at Sasuke’s feet suspiciously, then wagged his tail. Sasuke stood warily, remembering Kyuubi’s warning growl the day they had left for the retreat. He was relieved when Kyuubi licked his hand. 

“He likes you!” Naruto cried. He looked at the dog soberly. “Kyuubi, this is Sasuke. I love him. I want you to love him too, OK?” Kyuubi looked at Naruto as if he understood, and Sasuke’s heart swelled with affection at Naruto’s innocent declaration. 

It was dark by the time they reached Naruto’s apartment. Sasuke gathered Naruto’s bags to take them upstairs. 

Naruto thrust the bag with the toys back at Sasuke. “You keep this one, Sir,” he said with a lopsided smile. 

Sasuke smiled contentedly and put the bag back into the car. Inside, Kyuubi walked to a corner by the futon, turned around three times, and lay down contentedly. 

“Aaaah, finally!” Naruto huffed. 

“Hm?”

“It was a long time to wait to kiss you, Sir,” Naruto said. He remembered his place quickly. “May I kiss you, Sir?” 

“I demand that you do.” Sasuke put his hands at the small of Naruto’s back and pulled him closer. 

Most of their kisses to that point had felt innocent. The kiss Sasuke gave Naruto this time, though, was bruising in its intensity. He thrust his tongue into Naruto’s mouth with demanding passion. One hand on his perfect ass, the other in his golden hair, Sasuke crushed Naruto against his body.

His submissive whimpered and moaned as Sasuke fucked into his mouth with his tongue. Sasuke had wanted to claim Naruto for so long, and soon he would. Naruto wanted it as badly as Sasuke did, badly enough to take his collar off and say it boldly. Sasuke was going to ensure that he never doubted who he belonged to again; the kiss was but a foretaste. 

When he pulled away, Naruto’s eyes were unfocused. 

“I love you,” Sasuke said softly into Naruto’s ear. 

“I love you, too, Sir.” Naruto’s voice trembled with desire.

Sasuke kissed Naruto’s forehead, then both cheeks. “Our first date will be this week. I’ll text you which night it will be when I get back to the loft.”

“Yes, Master,” Naruto replied. The title on Naruto’s lips sent a heat wave through Sasuke’s body. 

He took both of Naruto’s hands into his. “Do you know why I made the six-date rule, Naruto?”

Naruto made a pitiful face. “Because you want to get to know me better, Sir,” he recited. 

“That’s correct,” Sasuke said, “but that’s not the only reason.” 

Naruto did not look very interested in hearing any other reasons. Sasuke knew he was too busy scheming against the six-date rule. 

Sasuke took Naruto into his arms and held him close. “I made that rule as a lesson to you.”

“Gaaah, Master,” Naruto groaned, “Is it like ‘don’t cum without my permission?’ please don’t make me do chastity.”

Sasuke paused, surprised at where Naruto’s mind had gone. “No, I’m not putting you in chastity. For Now.” He inhaled the scent of Naruto’s hair. “It has nothing to do with withholding your orgasms or obedience.”

He caressed the back of Naruto’s neck as he spoke. “The lesson is that you’re worth waiting for. You’re more than sex or submission to me, Naru.” 

Naruto sagged against him and laid his head on his shoulder. “Thank you, Sir,” Naruto said. He hugged Sasuke tightly. 

Sasuke rubbed Naruto’s back soothingly. “I have to go home, now. I’ll text you when I get there.”

Naruto let go of Sasuke wistfully and walked him to the door. 

“I was really proud to be your submissive this weekend, Sir.” Sasuke felt all of Naruto’s sincerity and strength in his words. 

Sasuke cupped his cheek. “I was proud to have your submission.” He kissed Naruto one last time before leaving the cheery little apartment behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK, they're going home, now. Next chapter: Dates! Will Sasuke survive Naruto's efforts to sabotage the rules? :D 
> 
> I wanted Sasuke to be able to put everything with Emmet to rest. After avoiding even the mention of him for so many years, it's a relief to let it go at last. 
> 
> The community has to work harder, now, to keep out people like Kabuto. He represented far more danger than just taunting Naruto. There are scumbags like this. They don't believe submissives have the right to say no, and they enjoy "breaking" them. Fortunately, they don't typically last long in healthy communities. Wiser and stronger people put them in their place very quickly. They are still dangerous. When you meet someone on FetLife or on a dating site who says they're a dom but they don't really want to be part of a community, it's generally a warning sign that they're not doms--they're just abusive douchebags. 
> 
> Naruto and Sasuke are out as a couple to their friends. I had to write that in! Naruto needs to understand how proud Sasuke is of him after the whole threatened breakup. 
> 
> Thank you all for reading up to this point. I hope you'll like it as it moves forward! <3 And thank you all for your encouragement. It has been such a wonderful thing.


	18. A First (Or Third) Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto and Sasuke spend their first night apart after the retreat. Naruto ramps up his offense against the 6-date rule on the first outing Sasuke plans

_Master_

_Sir_

_Are you there?_

**I’m here. Are you alright?**

_No. :(_

**What’s wrong?**

_You’re not here. :( :( :(_

Sasuke’s heart rate sped up, and his body tingled. He had just left Naruto’s apartment a few hours ago. It seemed that Naruto did not want to go back to separate beds in separate apartments after two nights together—much like Sasuke. He quickly texted back.

**Do you want me to call?**

_Yes Sir pls_

Naruto picked up on the first ring.

“You called!” he cried happily.

Sasuke chuckled. “I didn’t ask you to trick you.”

Naruto made a sort of growling groan. “I know that, Sir. It’s just that I still can’t believe we’re together. Y’know. Like _that.”_

Sasuke stretched out on his bed. “Hm. How do I convince you of reality?”

“Come back!” Naruto said immediately.

Sasuke laughed once more. “I could. But you get up early in the morning, and I don’t sleep well at nights. You’d lose a lot of sleep when you have to work early in the morning.”

“You slept at the retreat,” Naruto pointed out.

Sasuke smiled. “Because I was exhausted.”

“No, Sir, uh-uh. I don’t believe it,” Naruto crowed. “You slept because I was with you. Same as me. Master.”

“Is that what you think?” Sasuke teased.

“Yeah?” The bravado began to bleed out of his voice.

“You’re absolutely right,” Sasuke told him.

“See! So if you came back, we’d both sleep!”

For a few moments, Sasuke allowed himself to consider it. Sleeping with Naruto was calming and warm, and he definitely wanted more nights like that. However…

“Naruto…” Sasuke rolled over to stretch his back. “I don’t know how much _sleeping_ I would actually do if I were in bed with you.”

“So?” Naruto cried out. “That rule is stupid! Uh, sorry. I mean, respectfully, Sir. We love each other. Why can’t we be together? You already know me.”

“Did you just call my rule ‘stupid’?” Sasuke adopted his stern tone.

“I… sorry, Sir. I just want to be with you, Master.” Sasuke could imagine the faces Naruto made as he spoke. Naruto was not alone in his impatience—he wanted nothing more than to bundle the young man up in his arms and absolutely plunder him.

“I want to be with you, too, Naru,” Sasuke said. “It’s worth waiting.”

“I guess,” Naruto grumbled. Sasuke heard him shifting around on the other end. “I really like when you call me ‘Naru,’ Sir,” he said boyishly.

“Do you, now?” Sasuke imagined burying his nose in Naruto’s crazy, blond locks.

“Yes, Sir.”

“What else do you like… _Naru?”_ Sasuke’s voice naturally became deeper and huskier.

“I… I… like when you hold me, Sir,” Naruto said haltingly.

“Is that so?”

“Uh-huh. When you hold me, and… when you rub my back.”

Sasuke’s fingertips tingled with the memory of Naruto’s skin. “Does it feel good when I touch your back, Naru?”

“Mhm! I mean, Yes, Sir,” Naruto said dreamily.

“What else do you like?” Sasuke pressed.

“When… I sleep on my side and you sleep against my back.” Naruto sounded awkward and shy; it was such a contrast to his generally brash, outgoing nature.

“I like that, too,” Sasuke confessed. He imagined spooning Naruto, allowing his hands to roam all over his chest and stomach. Palming the pink nipples… tweaking them into peaks… Biting the back of his neck…

“You do?” Naruto’s voice was full of wonder.

“Indeed I do,” Sasuke replied, forcing himself out of his reverie.

“Sir… Will you tell me what you like about it? Please?”

“Your warmth. The way you smell. The way your skin feels against mine. Hearing you breathe while you sleep,” Sasuke replied without hesitation.

“Oh...” Naruto sighed. The two lay on opposite ends of their connection, each imagining what Sasuke described.

“I wish you were holding me, now, Sir,” Naruto said sadly.

“Imagine it, Naruto,” Sasuke told him.

“OK, Sir,” Naruto said obediently.

“Imagine me wrapping my arms around you and holding you close,” Sasuke continued. He heard Naruto yawn on the other line.

“Yes, Sir.”

Sasuke went on. “My knees tucked behind yours...”

“Mmm…” Sasuke smiled at the sleepy voice. “s’nice, Sir,” Naruto slurred.

“My hands running through your hair as you fall asleep...”

Naruto said nothing to this. A few seconds later, Sasuke heard muted snores. “Good night, Naru,” he said lovingly. He hung up with a soft smile.

Sasuke had never known that being alone in his bed could be so torturous. Had he actually done this little exercise with Naruto in person, his erection would be pressed firmly against his tight, round ass right now. He closed his eyes and sifted through his favorite images of the boy.

He imagined Naruto in his leather pants and his harness, kneeling and staring up at him with those limpid, blue eyes, the pink lips opening to stretch around the head of his cock.

He slipped his hand down the front of his pants as he allowed the scene to continue in his mind. He stroked as he imagined Naruto taking him down his throat. He fondled his balls with the other hand, Dream Naruto doing the same as Sasuke rocked into the wet heat of his mouth.

Tears streaming from the blue eyes…

Drool at the corners of that sinful mouth…

As he reached orgasm, the Naruto in his mind smiled to receive Sasuke’s load on his tongue and face.

“Thank you, Master,” Dream Naruto said, licking his lips obscenely.

Sasuke gave his cock one final tug and lay spent. He had never reached orgasm so quickly as an adult. The six-date rule was going to fuck him up.

The idea for the first date came to him easily; it had occurred to him immediately when he decided to take Naruto out properly.

Naruto’s eyes shone as he welcomed him in. Sasuke had barely crossed the threshold before Naruto tackled him, and he stumbled back a couple of steps before he found his balance.

“I missed you, Master,” Naruto said, his deep voice vibrating against Sasuke’s neck.

Sasuke laughed and imbibed Naruto’s scent as they held each other. He was distantly aware of Kyuubi sniffing at their feet curiously.

Naruto only let him go long enough to kiss him. His tongue pressed against the seam of Sasuke’s lips, demanding entrance, and Sasuke responded by opening his mouth and thrusting his own tongue against the invader. Almost immediately, Naruto’s hands were all over him; one slid over his ass, kneading and molding. Another snaked under his shirt to feather along his side. Devious fingers sought his nipple, pulling gently at the piercing. Sasuke moaned into Naruto’s mouth and thrust unconsciously against him.

He allowed his own hands to wander up under Naruto’s shirt to explore the supple skin.

How often had he had Naruto’s skin under his hands? How many times had he felt this same flesh beneath his fingers as he soothed muscles sore from restraint or caressed the flesh abraded by floggers?

Those times, though, had been different.

Those times, Sasuke had had to stop.

He didn’t have to stop, now.

Naruto pushed up Sasuke’s shirt and explored his back and chest wantonly. Sasuke hissed at the exposure and lost himself in Naruto’s touch. Naruto tore himself away from their kiss, only to attach himself to Sasuke’s left nipple. He tugged at the ring with his teeth, and Sasuke reeled and moaned.

As he moved to unbuckle Sasuke’s jeans, clarity came screaming back to him like an angry harpy.

“Naruto…” he said through tense breaths.

Naruto responded by kissing his belly and ripping the prong of his belt buckle away from the leather. Sasuke ran his fingers through Naruto’s hair, then gripped at the roots close to his scalp and tugged. This did nothing to deter Naruto; in fact, he shuddered and worked harder at getting Sasuke’s fly opened.

He tugged a bit harder, then took a small step backwards. Naruto looked up at him in shock, his blue eyes dilated and his face flushed.

“Stop,” Sasuke said, with much more conviction than he felt.

Naruto made a sound somewhere between a grunt and a whine. He stood and heaved as his heart rate decelerated, staring at Sasuke reproachfully.

“Whyyyy…” he started.

Sasuke refastened his buckle. “Because we’ll be late for our date.”

Naruto groaned. He pulled at his hair in mock frustration.

Sasuke looked him over for the first time since he’d arrived. The outline of his cock was noticeable through the tight, indigo denim of his jeans. They advertised Naruto’s strength and virility explicitly, leaving little to guess about.

“You aren’t going to be comfortable in those trousers,” Sasuke told him.

“I could take them off, Sir,” Naruto said with a cocky grin.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

“Fine,” Naruto said with a huff. “Why?”

“We’ll be active on this outing. Change into something that gives you more range of motion.”

Naruto’s grin expanded, and his eyes twinkled. “Yes, Sir. I can do that.”

Sasuke eyed him warily, but Naruto sauntered off to his bathroom grinning. When he came out a few minutes later, he understood why.

In place of his jeans, Naruto had donned leggings. The gunmetal-grey Lycra hugged every angle and sinew, and if his cock had been noticeable through his jeans, it was clearly delineated, now. As a garment, the leggings filled an almost purely ceremonial role. Sasuke’s eyelid twitched. Summoning all of his self-control and detachment, he made his face blank.

“You’ll be more comfortable that way,” he said.

“Yeah. I’m sure I will, Sir,” Naruto replied gleefully. Sasuke turned the other way as Naruto bade Kyuubi goodbye and shut off the lights.

It was easier to focus as he drove. He had smacked Naruto’s roving hands one time with a sharp reprimand and a reminder of unpleasant punishments accruing interest. After that, the boy sat back and pouted until, mercurial as ever, his curiosity got the better of him.

“Where are we going, Sir?” he asked as they drove beyond the county limits of their city.

Sasuke looked at him from the side of his eyes and smiled. “You’ll see.”

After about an hour’s drive, they entered a wildlife preserve that neither Sasuke nor Naruto had ever visited. The trees had just begun to shake off their valedictory colors, leaving the craggy, limestone hills visible in their imposing grandeur. The road through the preserve wound through a gorge carved by a river that had long since abandoned its course, and each side was bounded by a sheer rock face.

Naruto bounced up and down excitedly in his seat and exclaimed at each new thing he saw. Sasuke was filled with gratitude, both for the young man who had so easily conquered his heart and for their burgeoning relationship.

He stopped in front of an A-frame cabin with a wraparound veranda. Naruto looked at him, but Sasuke just smiled knowingly. He led Naruto to the front door and knocked.

“Gaara!” Naruto cried happily when it swung open.

Gaara smiled happily. “I’m glad you could make it. Welcome.” He blushed slightly and briefly appeared flustered when he took in Naruto’s attire.

“This is our date?” Naruto asked Sasuke, confused.

Sasuke nodded. Gaara’s smile widened. He shouldered a large duffel as well as a plastic tackle box. “Are we ready?”

Naruto looked from Sasuke, to Gaara, then to Sasuke again.

“We’re ready,” Sasuke said, giving Naruto nothing to sate his curiosity.

They followed Gaara out to a rugged-looking jeep and climbed in.

“Sir,” Naruto whispered as Gaara started the vehicle, “is this gonna be like the retreat?”

Sasuke laughed. “You’ll see soon.” He knew that Naruto was thinking of the shibari demonstration, as well as his temporary interdiction on kink. Naruto gave him strange looks as the jeep bounced up a steep, roughly-surfaced road.

They stopped at the crest of a hill near a steep escarpment. Naruto slowly began to realize what Sasuke had planned for their date.

He gave Sasuke an incredulous look. “We’re going rappelling?”

“Yes. I made arrangements with Sabaku to jump off this cliff with you,” Sasuke answered.

“I didn’t even think you liked rappelling!”

“You do, don’t you?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah, I like it a lot! I’m just surprised you’d do it again!” Naruto hugged Sasuke tightly. “Thank you! This is gonna be so much fun!”

Gaara tossed two coils of black webbing at Naruto. “Do you think you can tie your and Sasuke’s harnesses while I find a place to anchor?”

“Yeah! Yeah, I can do that!” Naruto said. Making note of the self-satisfied expression on his face, Sasuke prepared himself for attack.

Naruto fired his first volley, wrapping his Swiss seat so tightly that his bulge and ass were both prominently bolstered and displayed. Sasuke kept his face impassive and called upon the clinical distance he used as a physician. Naruto looked at him with the same triumphant expression that he had worn when he had changed into the leggings.

The next volley nearly took Sasuke down. Because he had never counted on needing rappelling skills, he had never bothered to learn how to tie his own harness. He was now at the mercy of a spitefully horny 22-year-old with an agenda, and Naruto made every use of the opportunity. He cupped Sasuke’s cock and balls as he threaded the webbing between his legs and around his growing bulge, and again each time he wound it around his upper thighs. Sasuke bit his lip in frustration. Naruto’s expression was one of pure, smug evil.

Gaara looked away awkwardly.

“Naruto,” Sasuke growled. Naruto looked up at him with a disingenuously naive look.

Naruto finished tying Sasuke’s harness at last. Gaara turned around and cleared his throat. “Naruto, your harness doesn’t need to be that tight,” he said. “You need to adjust it.”

“Sure!” Naruto chirped. He set about making the readjustments, once again giving Sasuke and Gaara a frustrating display of some of his best features.

Gaara flushed a deep crimson. Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. He should have known what he was getting himself into.

By the end of their half-day session with Gaara, Sasuke had more than one reason to repent of choosing rappelling as their date. Gaara had decided that they were capable of advanced techniques. If Sasuke had thought descending face-first was bad, descending upside-down was much worse. Even with helmets and competent belayers, it was starkly terrifying. Sasuke was an emergency room physician; he knew better than most how easily brain injuries could occur and how devastating they could be.

Naruto zipped right through it, though, eager as always to learn something new and thrilling. It was a trait that both exasperated Sasuke and fascinated him. This was something he and Naruto shared; Sasuke’s thrill-seeking had just been tempered by time and experience.

The date provided Sasuke the opportunity to observe Naruto through a new lens. He took in his determination and fearlessness, his respect for the knowledge of others. These were traits that had attracted him to begin with, he recognized, even if Naruto’s artless fumbling had initially horrified him. Sasuke began to comprehend the kind of person Naruto could have been with more opportunities, more education. More than that, he began to see the kind of person Naruto would one day become, regardless of never having had those things.

They left Sabaku at his cabin when they were finished. On a high from their cliff-jumping adventures, Naruto prattled animatedly about all they had done. “I wanna do it again and again, Sasuke! You wanna go with me? I can buy the gear, now, if I start a little at a time!”

Sasuke knew he would probably never share Naruto’s enthusiasm for rappelling, but he wouldn’t turn down opportunities to watch him doing something he loved—even if he ended up digging his fingernails into his palms every time Naruto tried a new trick or flung himself from a new height. “I’ll go with you. As long as you use the appropriate safety gear, including helmets.”

He did not have to turn and look to know that Naruto was grinning and rolling his eyes. He drove across the wildlife preserve as Naruto talked—happy to be with him, happy to hear the smile in his voice. He parked at a gravel car park at the top of a river canyon.

“What’s this?” Naruto asked. “Are we gonna rappel here, too?”

“This,” Sasuke said as he walked to the back of his SUV, “is lunch. And no, I don’t think rappelling while eating is advisable.”

Naruto joined him as he opened the rear gate. “Grab one side of this,” Sasuke told him, motioning to a large cooler.

He and Naruto pulled the cooler out of the back and lugged it down a steep set of flagstone stairs built into the wall of the gorge. They were out of breath by the time they reached the bottom, and their legs burned. They set down the cooler, none too gently, on the rocky bank of the river. The stones were smooth, and a large, flat, sandstone outcropping provided the perfect place for a picnic.

“Wow, Sir, this is so beautiful!” Naruto looked around in awe. “We came down from so high!”

Sasuke smiled fondly as Naruto took everything in. “This is supposedly the second-deepest river gorge on this side of the Mississippi,” he said, “so it’s definitely a significant height.”

He lifted a small compartment atop the lid of the cooler and withdrew a blanket. Naruto helped him spread it over the rock, then Sasuke opened the cooler itself. He passed each item out to Naruto to set on the blanket, starting with a bottle of cold water and two steel glasses. By the time he was finished, all the constituents of an antipasti platter had been laid out, along with a small bowl of fruit. Sasuke finished by setting out a sliced baguette and a round peasant loaf from the French bakery near his loft.

“You packed so much fancy food!” Naruto raved.

“You think this is fancy?” Sasuke asked, grinning. He carefully laid out the meats, olives, and cheeses on a wooden board.

“Yeah, I do! Look at this stuff! Olives, special cheese… I thought you didn’t even like cheese, Sir!”

“I don’t,” Sasuke averred. “But you do.”

Naruto’s face lit up. He kissed Sasuke softly on the lips. “I really love you, Master.”

Sasuke brushed his fingers down the side of Naruto’s neck. “I really love you, too.”

They settled in to eat rather quickly; the day’s activities had left both of them ravenous. Naruto was surprised when Sasuke wrapped a melon slice with prosciutto and fed it to him; he was even more surprised when he ended up liking the combination.

“I learn so much from you, Sir,” he said, leaning against Sasuke. “I never knew about old, fermented tea or eating fruit with ham before.”

Sasuke laughed aloud. “I learn a lot from you, too.”

This seemed to surprise Naruto. “You do? Like what?”

“I learned about rappelling from you.”

“You didn’t really learn it from me, though, so that’s not fair. Pick something else, Sir,” Naruto chided.

Sasuke sighed. There was a lot he had learned from Naruto, but it wasn’t easily put into words that wouldn’t sound small and insulting. He had learned how horrid the country’s foster system truly was. He had learned how little hardworking people were paid. He had learned with new force just how predatory and abusive some people became when they smelled innocence and vulnerability.

There were other things he had learned, as well, though.

“I learned how it felt to be in love,” Sasuke said uneasily. The words sounded trite and formulaic, nowhere near the life-changing truth that they were.

Naruto fell upon him with a soft cry, pressing against him and clinging tightly. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the young man and closed his eyes. He nuzzled into his neck and imbibed his scent. He stroked the strong, firm back and the fragrant, blond locks.

“I love you,” Naruto murmured. “I love you so much I can’t believe it. And you really love me, too? It’s not a dream or a trick?”

“I love you, too.” Sasuke kissed Naruto’s neck just beneath his ears. “Not a dream,” he said against the smooth skin. “Not a trick.”

Naruto pulled back and smiled at Sasuke brightly. “Feed me, please? I loved that so much at the pet dinner.”

“Tch.” Sasuke rolled his eyes, but he also smiled. He had enjoyed feeding Naruto at least as much as Naruto had enjoyed being fed. He lifted a bocconcini to Naruto’s lips.

He promptly remembered that he was essentially at war with Naruto’s sex drive.

Naruto gently bit his finger and sucked as Sasuke attempted to feed him. The little gesture stoked a pleasant pool of warmth in Sasuke’s belly. He wasn’t just at war with Naruto’s sex drive, he realized with a pang; he’d inadvertently declared war with his own.

He didn’t want to stop, though. Naruto lay down in his lap, and Sasuke continued the infuriating work of feeding the hungry monster. Teeth nipped at his fingers. Naruto’s tongue flicked against them. Naruto’s lips—good fucking Christ—closed around his digits as he stared up at Sasuke innocently.

The sight was devastatingly beautiful, and it called to mind Sasuke’s favorite erotic daydreams. There was no way to hide the evidence of his growing arousal when Naruto straddled his lap to feed him, as well.

For a moment, that was all it was: the return of a favor, the feeding of one person by another. He was aware of the pressure and friction on his erection when Naruto moved, but he continued to accept the morsels of tomato, cheese, and olives from Naruto’s hand.

Naruto parted his lips unconsciously as he held out a bite of melon. Sasuke opened his mouth and accepted it onto his tongue, flicking it over the end of Naruto’s finger as he did. Naruto gasped. His eyes glazed over. Sasuke caught him by the wrist and licked over his palm, then each separate finger, cleaning his hand of the juice.

Naruto thoughtlessly ground against him as he sucked his fingers. Contented with his work, Sasuke released Naruto’s wrist and pulled him flush against him to kiss him. He teased Naruto’s lower lip with his tongue, then bit and sucked.

Naruto’s mouth was warm and welcoming. His tongue darted into Sasuke’s mouth teasingly; Sasuke chased it back with lascivious thrusts of his own. A series of pleasurable sensations filled Sasuke’s mind. He heard the river tripping over its sandstone shoals. He tasted the sweetness of fruit on Naruto’s tongue. He felt Naruto pressing against him, sinking into him cell by cell.

He rolled Naruto over onto his back and looked down at him. Naruto’s chest heaved, and his eyes were glazed and dilated. He wet his lips as Sasuke continued to gaze at him.

Once again, clarity returned. Naruto was _young._ He was eager to please. He deserved to be cherished and treated well apart from sex and play, though; he had never experienced that with a partner. Sasuke pushed a strand of hair out of Naruto’s eyes and touched his face softly. Gentleness and devotion were new to Sasuke, as well.

He leaned down and kissed Naruto’s forehead, then shifted to lie down beside him. He pulled Naruto to him and curled his arm around him. Naruto huffed softly then laid his head against Sasuke’s chest. Sasuke carded his fingers through Naruto’s hair and looked up through the sparse autumn canopy to the sky.

He wondered if he had ever felt so peaceful in his life. Having Naruto close to his heart felt right. Naruto said nothing for a while, and he lay somewhat stiffly against Sasuke. Gradually, he softened, and his breathing became slow and even.

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it, Sir?” he murmured against Sasuke’s chest.

“Mhm, it is,” Sasuke agreed. “Look up, Naru.”

Naruto shifted in his arms and gazed up through the leaves. “Wow,” he said in awe. “The sun’s so pretty through the leaves.”

He turned his head and looked at Sasuke remorsefully. “Thank you for taking me on such a nice date, Master. I’m sorry I’m a brat.”

Sasuke began to chuckle. “You’re _my_ brat. Just remember I have a good memory.”

This made Naruto laugh. He snuggled even closer to Sasuke; they lay, entwined in each other’s arms on the riverbank, until the sun began to set.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all!  
> Life has been hectic and weird, and American Thanksgiving was last week. So this chapter came a little later than I'd planned. 
> 
> Sasuke isn't trying to be a prude or a control freak; he wants Naruto to understand what it's like to be cherished when there is nothing on offer. He also wants to give himself time to accommodate new and tender emotions. 
> 
> As he said, though, it's not just Naruto's libido he has to contend with as concerns their rule. :D 
> 
> Up next: Sasuke's next date plans and possibly the last date as well before they meet their "quota." :D


End file.
